Not all is as it seems
by clex
Summary: Zuko would do anything to regain his honor. But did he really loose it?Katara would do anything to protect the ones she love. But what if she came to love someone unexpected?Zutara. But not your usual zutara plot.. Rated T for now.
1. Khoisan

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wish I did, but I don't...**

The story takes place somewhere between book 1 and 2. I know, i know...Zuko lost his ship and crew at the same time, but I decided it would be more fun if he had a boat. And since it is my story, what I say goes;) Enjoy..

Chapter 1: Khoisan

* * *

It was cold and the rain fell in heavy drops. The chill wind swept across the steel deck.

He could feel his arms burning with a cold sensation. The wind left him with goosebumps as it passed. But he didn't care. Hell, he almost didn't notice anymore. One more time, he told himself and increased his body temperature a few degrees extra. Just to get some feeling back in his arms. The firebender took a deep breath, focused his mind and got into the right stance. With swift and graceful movements he drew an arc in the air with his right arm. He felt the energy flow throughout his whole being and followed the movement with his body. Charging his movements from within himself. He leaped into the air an flung himself around, did a spin-kick before landing firmly on the ground. He raised both arms above his head in a fan like motion.

Nothing.

He let out a frustrated roar and burst into flames.

"Calm your temper prince Zuko." His uncle approached him, beckoning him to calm down.

"But why can't I do it? The movements are not that hard uncle, but still I just can't get it right!" Iroh eyed the young prince, as to detect some kind of reason for his nephew's limitations.

"To make the fire rain from the skies is in deed a advanced and very difficult set. Especially when it's already raining!" He let out a rumbling laugh. "You must be concentrated. It demands a relaxed mind." Zuko glared at hm.

"But I am concentrated, -and relaxed!" he shouted. The rain evaporated from his steaming body.

"I can see that." Iroh rolled his eyes, but continued before his nephew could get another rage fit.

"You are a very good student my boy. You train hard, meditate and strive to be the best you can. You have discipline, courage and determination, -but no patience! You must learn to be patient!"

"Uncle, I don't have time for patience. I need to capture the avatar."

Zuko was really frustrated. He had been chasing the monk and his companions for too long, and every time he was within reach, the airbender got away. And that without even mastering all the elements! And if that wasn't bad enough, both Zhao and his sister was trying to capture him as well. Time was running out. He knew it, and he felt it. Like his opportunity of regaining his honor was slipping through his fingers, and now it was affecting his training.

"I need it." he whispered, barely audible.

"What we need, and what we want are often two different things Zuko. Most of the time we don't even know what we need. Or want."

"But I do know what I need and want! I need the avatar to gain my honor. –And my honor is what I want!" The old man closed his eyes and shook his head in disapproval. "I am going to bed now. I suggest you do the same." Zuko turned away in defiance and waited as his uncles footsteps faded away. He walked over to the railing and looked out at the sea. The past few weeks had been difficult for him. For some unknown reason, he was feeling confused. Not about his destiny. He wanted his honor, his throne and his fathers approval more than anything. The thing confusing him, was that he was no longer sure of anything else. Would capturing the avatar really be the answer to all his problems? It sounded so...simple.

Yet it wasn't.

Did he want the war to go on?

Was his honor more important than everything else?

Was his enemies really his enemies?

And his friends... –well, he didn't exactly have any friends. Or family for that matter. Except uncle Iroh... He sighed. He was probably just exhausted. "Keep your eyes on the prize." he told himself as he turned and walked inside.

The rain was pouring and the ocean completely still. The only thing ruffling the surface was the thousands upon thousands of raindrops falling from the sky.

* * *

The sun was shining bright in the morning sky. The grass still held some dew, but it was soon evaporated by the warm rays coming from the sun.

The trio was getting on with their morning duties. Katara made a simple breakfast with what they had, while the boys were packing up camp.

"You guys, we should probably find a market or something soon. We're running short of supplies." Katara was impressed by how long they had been able to live of their watertribe money.

Because they managed to find a lot of berries and such out in the nature, they didn't have to spend it all on food. That would've emptied their pockets within a few weeks.

This time, however, they had ended up in a rocky mountainside, and plants and animals were nowhere near.

"There's supposed to be a small town not far away. Kho- shiu, shou, or something. Half a day maybe, and it's headed east to! We can stop there." Aang smiled at Katara as he threw a sleepingbag up on Appa's back. "It's a slight detour, but hey, we gotta eat!"

"Speaking of which. Katara, is breakfast ready yet? I'm hungry!"

"Sokka, you're always hungry!" Katara laughed and Aang joined in. Sokka on the other hand overheard his friends teasing and stuck his nose into the pot instead.

"Mmmm...smells delicious."

* * *

"Zuko! I have a case of utmost importance to discuss with you." Iroh walked down the stairs to the lower deck, where the fire price and a soldier was training. He still had not gotten quite over yesterday's struggles, and was far from glad for his uncles interruption while he was letting his frustration out on the poor soldier in front of him.

"What? If it's that important, it better be about the avatar."

"Yes, it is. We just saw him a few miles ahead of us, heading south-west."

"Really? Well, why are we heading south-east then? Zuko shouted and his eyes glittered in a dangerous way.

"Because I am only joking!" His Uncle laughed out again. "I do not know where the Avatar is. He has been absent for quite a while now." He gave his nephew a wide grin. Zuko was getting sick and tired of his uncles constant joking. He felt himself shake with the urge to have an outburst, but managed to contain his anger. Some of it anyway.

"Tell me uncle. What is this all about?" The prince's voice was cold and hard and Iroh knew he was walking a fine line at the moment. He tucked his hands in his sleeves while giving his nephew the most serious look he could summon together. "You know we have been at sea for a while, and I really think it's important to keep the men entertained and happy. Therefore it is my humble opinion that we should stop and buy a new sungihorn for music night!"

"Uncle,.." Zuko sighed " How many times do I have to tell you? We don't have time for your nonsense."

"Fine, if that's the way you feel...We will make time! It's only a...ahem... consider it a stop for supplies!" the fire prince growled and walked away. Slamming the door shut behind him. The old general turned towards the soldier." Please, go tell the captain we're going to Khoisan."

* * *

"Hurry up Uncle. We haven't got all day!" Zuko was standing on the corner of the fortunetellers boot, his arms crossed and one foot propped against the wall. He might look relaxed and aloof, but in reality his nerves were on high end. Iroh came out of the boot, a look of pleasure on his face.

"Great news my boy." He beamed at his companion. "The universe is on my side, and things will turn out for the best. My positive attitude will help me through hard times to come." Zuko rolled his eyes.

"You really needed a reading to tell you that crap? How much did you pay?"

Iroh smiled and winked at his nephew. "A little extra so she could tell me some good stuff about a certain prince I know." Zuko's eyes widened a bit in surprise, and he ran a few steps to catch up with his uncle.

"What then, was it something about the avatar?

"Why, Zuko, I thought you didn't believe in this crap." The old man smiled and raised his eyebrows.

"I don't!!" The fire prince quickened his pace and walked past Iroh in both anger and embarrassment.

"It was something much more interesting!" The General called after his nephew, who in turn stopped. His back still turned he raised his head took a breath. "My honor".

It was more of a statement then a question, and the whisper held all of his hopes and dreams.

"No. A girl."

* * *

Katara was strolling down the main street of Khoisan, taking it all in. Khoisan was an interesting place, full of life and spirit. Cramped alongside the streets were myriads of tiny shops, where you could get everything form hairpins to skunk-owls. In addition there was several fortunetellers, jugglers and mimes located various places in the main street. Kataras original mission was to buy all the supplies for their journey. Such as food, blankets, sewing thread and stuff like that. Right now however, she just enjoyed walking the streets. It felt so good being out in public, and not hidden away from the fire nation in some forest. Or escaping the fire nation on the back of a flying bison.

The gang had split up, deciding the decision would give them more time to explore more entertaining parts of the town later. Aangs assignment was to find some hay for Appa, as well as maps and information of the best way to get to the Earth kingdom capital. Katara would do supplies, and Sokka mumbled something about a life and death situation before heading to the nearest food stand. The would meet up at the dock in about a hour.

The waterbender finished her supplies shopping and went down towards the harbour. With clear blue skies, and a complementing temperature she decided it was a great day. She wanted to take a minute, sit and relax and watch the boats before the others showed up. Maybe she could even practice some of her bending.

Katara went to the far end of the dock and found a nice spot which allowed her to see the full length of the harbour. Making sure she wouldn't miss the others when they came. Sitting there, she felt her muscles finally relaxing as the hot sun caressed her face. She lazily streamed some water from the green sea below her. Playing with it. Making it twist and turn to her will. The water had a hypnotic affect on her, and her mind was soon lost in the soothing element. That's why it took her a while to notice the increasing activity further down the dock.

* * *

Typical Uncle Iroh. Always some stupid proverb, idiotic story, or something worse. –Like teasing him about girls. Normally Zuko would burst up in flames, literally speaking. And that was what his Uncle expected to. In fact, that was the whole reason for his teasing. He loved to pull his strings in an attempt to get him down to earth when he got to serious or caught up in his pursuit of the airbender. But his time the prince almost didn't notice the Generals answer. The bald monk and watertribe boy walking down the street a few yards away had his full attention. He turned to face his Uncle with a smirk.

"You sure she didn't mention the Avatar?" His hand made a flick, and two daggers of fire appeared.

"Finally."

* * *

This really was a great day. She took a deep breath. Sometimes all this traveling really got he best of her. On these days however, nothing could break her spirit. Not that she was usually the one to complain. Her friends also made it a bit easier. If no one else, she could at least trust them. Tucking some stray hair straws back into place she reviewed the bending session she ended a minute ago. It had been perfection. She mentally patted her own back.

She never bragged. Not that she had the right to anyway. It wasn't like she worked really hard on it or anything. Off course, she trained. To get it perfect.  
But it came so naturally for her. It was almost...easy.

Standing there on the docks she let her gaze wander across the city of Khoisan. This place was known for it's many shops. "The town of things."

Suddenly she saw something that caught her attention. That little dot of yellow and orange coming towards her from a road ahead, could it be...? Yes, it was, it really was. That little bald monk could be no other than the airbender.

She smiled to herself and glanced at the girls on her right side.  
"Mai, Ty Lee. Let's go shopping. I see something I want."

Yes, a great day indeed.

* * *

Katara averted her gaze from the orb she was holding in mid air. Something was off. Surely an hour had passed by now. Being caught up in her bending she had completely lost track of time. She looked around to see if the guys were coming. Time stood still as Katara took in what was going on.

The first thing the waterbender noticed were the three girls moving at high speed up the main street. One was cartwheeling and jumping over the rooftops as to block of any exit rout on the right side of the street. The second was running along the left side, the sun reflecting in the blades she held in her hands. The third fell a bit behind, keeping herself in the middle of the two others. In that way the girls made a triangle-like formation, and efficiently covered half the street, allowing no escapes.

The second thing Katara noticed was Zuko. He came from the top of the street. Moving incredibly fast, and stealth-like, he was headed towards the girls with fire daggers in is hands.

For a moment Katara was confused. Who were the girls? Did they know Zuko? And were they going to have a fight just like that? In the middle of the street, and for no obvious reason?

At first she couldn't comprehend what was really going on, the suddenly it all hit her, and her eyes widened in fear. Because in the middle of it all was Aang and Sokka In the tenth of a second Katara imagened the outcome as her friend and brother would be attaced from all sides. With them being cauht totally off guard they wouldn't stand a chance. They had already seen how dangerous Zuko could be to them, and here were three girls in addition. She didn't know who they were, but for some reason, Katara decided she didn't want to stick around to find out..

Katara felt the panic flowing through her veins.

"Aaaaaaaaang!!!" she heard herself scream and started running towards her friends.

* * *

That's it for the first chapter.. Hope you liked it. This is my first Zutara story, and I would appreciate your review! (Flames to. If they're relevant..) Bye for now 


	2. Chameleonsnake

**  
Disclaimer:** No, it's not mine. I haven't touched it! I Don't own anything..

Zenthois: Is that a fanfiction? I tried to search for it, but didn't find anything..

Teenfox: Thanks, here is the update:)

Animecrazy6: Thank you so much! You know, I wanna write good stuff for you guys, so if flames are needed, then light me on fire..

Krystal Oceans: Thank you...glad you liked it

Thank you guys so much for reviewing! You really inspired me to write more:) Here is the next chapter, hope you like it as well.

* * *

Aang and Sokka were in no hurry as they made their way towards the dock. Khoisan was such an exciting place, and Aang couldn't wait to explore all the fun facilities of the city. He remembered stories about the place from his days before the war, but he had never got to see it for himself. 

"We definitely have to try he "rock 'a' road" later!" He beamed at Sokka. The "rock 'a' road" was a kind of roller coaster inside a huge mountain at the top point of the town.

"It's thrill guaranteed or your money back. I can't wait. You think Katara would want to go too?"

Sokka was too busy munching in some deep fried sealshrimps to register him being spoken to.

"Sokka?" Aang looked at him questionably.

"Myeah..schure,..mph...you know, Katara lovsch that schtuff.."

He swallowed. "But I don't know Aang...driving some little wagon down a small tunnel. -Inside a mountain... I get enough thrills riding Appa!"

"Sounds to me like your scared.." Aang shot him a devilish smile

"Me? I'm a warrior. I'm not afraid of anything. Nu-uh.. not me!

–Did I mention it was_ INSIDE_ a mountain?"

"Yeah, I know. But hey. It can't be worse than riding the Unagi!"

"True, true... Do you want any of these? They are really good!" Sokka shoved some sealshrimps in Aangs face.

"No thanks.. I'm good. You know I don't eat meat." Sokka shrugged and shoved three more in his mouth.

* * *

Walking in the midday sun was really hot, but a cool breeze coming from the north made the temperature just right. It was a lazy day. Aang kicked a pebble as he walked as to amuse himself. Alot of people were out in the streets today, and it got really crowded as they neared the harbor. The airbender raised to his toes trying to see if he could spot Katara somewhere. 

"Do you see her anywhere Sokka? She should be done with the supplies by now."

"Nah... you know, she's probably off somewhere down there. Bending some water or something." Sokka replied, not giving it too much thought.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Aang smiled. But deep down he was a bit worried. The fire nation had been following them everywhere, and he was never completely relaxed once they stopped in towns or cities. They had gotten into a lot of trouble the past weeks. Actually, make that since day one. He nodded to himself. But Sokka was probably right. Besides, Katara had really became a master waterbender after their stay at the North pole. She was perfectly capable to handle herself in a dangerous situation.

They kept walking when suddenly Aang heard someone shout his name. He turned towards the sound to see who was calling him, and saw Katara running towards them some hundred yards away.

"Hey, there she is." Aang smiled and waved at her. But she didn't smile back. She just kept waving her arms and pointing in different directions.

"What's Katara doing?" Aang turned towards Sokka as a dagger suddenly came flying past him, hitting the seal-shrimp Sokka was holding, knocking it out of his hand.

"Hey! I was about to eat that!"

* * *

Zuko was running. He made sure to keep a low profile, not bumping into anyone, but rather sliding through the crowd. The last thing he wanted was to make the Avatar aware of his presence. He was so close. And this time he wouldn't get away. 

Too many times had he underestimated the monk and his peasant friends. At the south pole, Kioshi island, avatar Roku's temple, that time with the pirates, the North pole... The list was long. Too long. And he sure as hell wasn't about to put another mark on it.

Close, closer. The two boys hadn't noticed him yet and he was gaining on them, fast. For a moment he wondered where the girl was, but didn't give it a second thought. She was of no importance. Only the Avatar mattered, and besides, the fewer benders to fight, the better. The watertribe boy was of no actual threat. He did however make a silent note to break that stupid boomerang of his if he got the chance. In his mind he debated if the best way would be to melt it or simply just break it in half. Weighing the pro's and con's he got lost in his own mind for a second, but quickly snapped out of it as a seal-shrimp came flying past his right ear.

* * *

Aang turned around to see where the dagger had came from just in time to register the blue fireball hurling towards him. He spun his staff like a drill stick and managed to stop the ball in mid air. When he putt he staff down there were three more daggers attached to it. What was going on? Sure, Zuko had been chasing them for a long time, but daggers and blue fire? Now, that was something new. 

The airbender looked up and saw a young fire girl approaching. Walking towards him with a smirk on her face. She was pretty enough, but something about her sent chills down his spine. She had this certain aura of malice to her. Standing right in front of him now he could see all her features. Clearly firenation he thought. The jet- black hair and the golden eyes was not to be mistaken. Plus, the firenation uniform was a dead give away.

"Why don't you just surrender, Avatar. And no one needs to get hurt." Her tongue was honeyed and the tone pleasant. Still, he could detect the poison behind it all.

"Eh.. no thanks. I'm fine right where I am." Aang shot back with a hint of sarcasm. The girl didn't even flinch.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it.. All the more fun for me." With a movement of her arm she made an arc of fire come in his direction. He dodged it just as a she sent a new one. This time lower so he had to jump to avoid it. He really hated fighting firebenders. Their bending was so aggressive, and his peaceful nature and own bending couldn't really mach the ferocity.

The girl shot a fire blast from her fingertips and he whirled around. Deam, this girl was good.

* * *

Katara ran all she could up the small slope. They were to far away. Aang had already started fighting one of the girls and the two others she couldn't see at the moment. Mentally she cursed herself for being so caught up in her own bending earlier to even notice the firenation ship making dock a mere twenty yards from where she sat. If something happened to her brother and friend she would never forgive herself. She drew some water from her pouch as she closed the distance between herself and her friends. With a swift movement she formed a whip and lashed out at the girl shooting fire towards Aang.

* * *

The whip hit her in the back of her head, causing her to stumble a few steps forward before she could whirl around to see who did it. The water peasant in front of her had a look of challenge on her face as she readied her whip for another attack. _Oh, great.__Another one._ The waterbender was clearly a friend of the Avatar. Who else in their right mind would have a go at her like that. She felt her temper rise with the stinging pain on her back and was almost about to give up the avatar and rather take out the peasant in front of her when Ty Lee appeared behind the other girl. _Good timing_ she thought to her self. She smirked and turned back to the Avatar.

* * *

Katara saw the dismay in her eyes and knew the whip had probably hurt like hell. Sure, water was a soothing element compared to fire, but it had a sting to it as well. 

That was why the fire nation girl couldn't have surprised her more than she did by turning her back on her. –And did she just smirk at her? At first she felt offended, and then just plain angry. Maybe she hadn't had years of warrior training, but she surely was more of a threat than that! To late she realised it could be for some other reason and fell to the ground. Not able to move.

The girl who had disabled her, Katara recognised as the one jumping over the rooftops. She had a long braid down her back and surprisingly enough looked kind of friendly. At least compared to the one with the blue flames, that is. She definitely had a mean streak. The girl crouched down close by and it looked like she was just watching it all.

From where she lay the waterbender could see the whole street. Including Aang and Sokka. _Sokka!_

"Sokka, I can't move! You've got to help Aang!" She shouted at her brother who was fighting the girl with the daggers.

"I'm kinda busy here Katara. You know, surviving and all." He shouted back, deflecting some more daggers. Katara wondered for a second if the girl ever ran out. She had been throwing a lot of them at her brother the past minute.

"Sokka, huh?" The girl with the braid looked down at her before she stood up, jumped high into the air, and did a multiple salto, before landing behind her friend.

"Oh,no"

* * *

Aang caught a glimpse of Sokka in his parietal vision and saw he was okay, for now at least. He clearly had his hands full with the crazy knife girl. Katara he couldn't see anywhere. Not that he had too much time to think about it. He was pretty busy with his own opponent. But without Katara present and her bending abilities to help them out they were struggling. He reached down in his pocked, pulling out the bison whistle. Appa would come and blow these girls away. Aang dodged another fireball and put the whistle to his lips, but before he could even inhale he felt a series of punches to his back and dropped to his knees. The whistle fell out of his mouth and landed at the fire blasting girls feet. 

From his new position he could see Katara laying on the ground in a very similar way to his a few feet away.

"Yeah, that kinda happened to me too." She smiled a sad smile, and Aang knew she was trying to keep a light tone because of what to come. And he loved her for it.

* * *

"Thanks Ty Lee. I almost had him there, but you're right. We are on a tight schedule, and there is no time for fuzzing around." Azula smiled down at Aang. "Mai, come here and help Ty Lee pick up the avatar. And never mind the watertribe boy. He is of no importance to us. Or threat." She added the lat part with a gloating sneer. Mai sent a final dagger at Sokka before she was at Aangs side. She and Ty Lee efficiently picked him up and held him between them. 

"No threat? What do you mean no threat? I'm a trained warrior you know! I'm threatening!" Sokka was positively angry and waving his arms around behind Azula's back. "A club, and a boomerang.. These are weapons you know. Which actually makes me _armed_ and dangerous. Where are your weapons by the way? I can't see them. Maybe your the one who's not dangerous."

Azula snapped her head halfway around and glared at him out the corner of her eye. She did a punch like motion and shot three blasts of fire at him. One of which hit him in his chest and sent him flying into the brick wall of a house a few yards behind him.

"Oh... right." Sokka coughed and tried to catch his breath.

"Enough of this. Let's go ladies."

"I can't let you do that Azula."

* * *

Azula turned towards her brother. "Oh, great. It's Zuzu. How have you been my dear brother? I haven't seen you in a while. You know, with you being banished and all." She smiled and made no effort to hide the mocking in her tone. 

"Don't call me that Azula."

"What are you gonna do? Tell Mummy on me? Zuko flinched and the pain shone brightly in his eyes before it spread throughout his features.

"Oh, Zuzu is going to cry. Go ahead. Daddy thinks your weak as it is. Why not add another reason to his list." Zuko frowned. He wasn't aware he had dropped his mask like that and made sure to put it back on. His face once again showing no expression. Deam Azula. She knew how to push his buttons too well, and he fell for it over and over again, but not this time.

"Give me the avatar Azula." He growled and stepped closer to his sister.

"And give up the prize I fought so hard to get? I don't think so." Her voice still light and pleasant.

"Then I guess I'll just have to fight you for him."

Do you really think that wisely, _brother?_ She added the last part with distaste. Not that it mattered. He was used to it anyway. Had it always been like this? He remembered when they were kids. Sure, she had always been sort of a bitch, but they had hade their fun too. Running around in the gardens, chasing eachother. Well, most of the time it had been Azula chasing him, much like now actually. He almost smiled at the irony of it all.

"We're heading back to the ship. Let's get the avatar locked up before he recovers." Azula comanded the girls who turned towards the ship, dragging Aang behind them.

"It'll be okay Katara. I'll be fine." Aang gave the watertribe girl what he thought would be a brave smile as Mai and Ty Lee pulled him past her. She still lay unmovable on the ground and Aang couldn't help but wonder if this was gonna be the last time he saw her.

"We'll get you Aang. Don't worry." She smiled back, and Aang saw the look of pure determination on her face. She didn't even have to act brave. She simply was.

"Zuko, why don't you come with us. I'm sure father would be glad to see you home now that he has the Avatar. Oh, wait, i forgot. You're not the one bringing him. Maybe you should just stay here. Father will never accept you now." Azula smirked and her amusement was obvious.

The banished prince threw himself at his sister, but something held him back.

"Now is not the time, prince Zuko." His Uncle had finally caught up and held him by the back of his shirt. The young prince was panting and his fists were ablaze.

"Now is as good a time as any, uncle. Let me go."

"No. Do you remember the kameleonsnake? The one that waits until the opportune moment. We must all wait for our opportune moment in life."

"So you've been trying to be like a kameleonsnake all this time. I thought you were imitating a snoozlesheep. You know, the fat and lazy one." The fire princess tilted her head and smirked at the old general.

"Just walk away princess Azula. You've captured the avatar. Don't taint your victory with petty talk." Iroh's voice was superior and showed no sign of defeat. He was growing old and tired from the siblings constant bickering. What was wrong with their family? It wasn't just the young prince and princess. He himself and his brother too.. It was like the whole family were divided, they were... fire. He remembered what his old friend Jeong Jeong used to say about fire. Those burdened with it's care are forced to walk a line between humanity and savagery. Til eventually they are torn apart. Just like their family...torn.

The young girl watched her uncle and furrowed her brows in matter that would have scared the old general if it wasn't for the fact that he knew she was her fathers daughter. She had too much pride to act on such a statement, and thereby making it all the more accurate. Instead she gave him a polite smile, although her eyes showed nothing but hatred.

"It was nice to see you again Uncle." And with that she turned and walked away.

* * *

That's it:) Again, hope you liked it. R&R, that would really make my day:) 

Bye


	3. Separated

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The last airbender or any of the characters.

Thank you for the reviews guys. They're really helpful to me. I appreciate them. Also the ones about my grammars. You know, I get sort of carried away with my writing sometimes, but I'm working on it:) As for coming on kinda strong from the beginning;... Let's just say I have my reasons.

Anyway, here's the next chapter!

Chapter three: Separated

* * *

Iroh sat on a stool, his back leaning against the metal wall of the ship. The sun warmed him up, and he could feel the heat radiating from the giant orb. The source to his power. His first intention when he came out had been to take a nap. The smell of sea and ocean always wore him out and calmed him down. His plans however, had been disrupted the moment his nephew awoke. Iroh suspected the young prince hadn't slept many hours, if any, and he looked exhausted. The young male was pacing the deck, lost in thought and Iroh knew exactly what was on his mind.

* * *

What should he do? What would he do? What _could_ he do? In one small hour his dreams had been shattered. All hope was lost. Everything he had worked for, all the pain he had suffered, all the hardships he had faced. He sighed. 

Three years of banishment, the only thing holding him up had been the thought of restoring his honor when he finally caught the avatar, and now... All hope was gone.

Normally he would be angry and frustrated, but no. This time Zuko just felt empty inside, and quite frankly, he was panicking. He paced the deck, back and forth, back and forth. What would become of him now? His life as he knew it, was over. Damned Azula. She had everything. Everything. She had her honor, her pride, their fathers love, his respect, raw talent, everything. Why couldn't she have given him this one thing? Did she really hate him this much? Obviously she did..

He stopped at the bow of the ship and looked out at the endless sea. Somewhere beyond that horizon his sister was bringing the avatar closer and closer to the fire nation. The Avatar. The savior of the world and all living beings, including himself.

Azula of all people. She was too calculating, too smart and too cold to take any chances or make a foolish mistake. And that bald monk had no chance what so ever escaping her now that she had him in her clutches. It would be better if Zhao had taken the him. After all, he had already freed the avatar from him once, and he could have done it again. But Azula... How could he free him from Azula? Or more important; from her ship? There was no way he could sneak on board her ship undetected.

His sister had left Khoisan and set course for the fire nation the second she got back on board. And while his ship was small compared to hers, she would without a doubt spot him miles away if he tried to follow her. Not that his small ship could catch up with hers anyway. His grip tightened around the railing. If only there was a way..

He mentally slapped himself. _Listen to yourself you pathetic fool. You sound weak and defeated._ If anything, prince Zuko of the fire nation was not weak, nor defeated. He was a fighter. Yes, he kept going and never gave up. _Off course there is a way, there is always a way. You just don't know what it is, yet. Concentrate.._

If only he could find a way to sneak up on her ship, he corrected himself. Then he could get he avatar out of there and...and... and then what? How would he get the avatar away from her ship without her following him? The only thing able to stop Azula from following him would be, one; she was not able to for some reason, or two; she couldn't see him. Neither was very probable to occur.

He raised his head to the sky as too look for answers. The clouds drifted by somewhere way above his head. _There was no way... Unless!_ A plan formed in his mind. Yes, that could actually work, but it wouldn't be easy, or fun. It would include more discipline and cooperation from his own part than he knew himself to be capable of, but it could be the only way. It was worth a try.

* * *

"I don't know Sokka. I'm not sure disguising as a traveling circus would get us on board that ship. Why would they wanna take a circus with them?" 

"Why wouldn't they?" Sokka had a look on his face that told Katara her brother was convinced this was an excellent idea. Not that his ideas were always perfect, but this one was beyond bad. "It's entertaining, profitable, and a natural part of any royal company." The water tribe boy counted on his fingers as he listed the arguments.

"Yeah, sure. And you would know, since you hang out with royalties on a daily basis" Katara rolled her eyes. "But I think we'll toss some more ideas around before we go with that one."

After the girls had taken Aang with them Sokka had went and got Katara, who still couldn't move. Zuko and his uncle had disappeared before they could see where they went. Katara had been kind of shocked by their family reunion. They made her and Sokka's fights seem like the picture of a perfect family.

The water tribe siblings had eventually managed to get back to Appa and Momo. The day had been exhausting for them and they had fallen asleep early. Their sleep had been pore though, and Katara had awaken several times from bad dreams during the night. Before the sun rose she had gotten up and made them breakfast. Taking her time, letting her brother have a few extra hours to rest before she woke him up too. Wise from experience she knew that the longer Sokka slept, the better, for both of them. Her brother had a tendency of becoming cranky and whiny, more than usual that is, when deprived of sleep.

At the moment they were propped up against Appa's side. Now all they needed was a rescue plan. They had to come up with a decent idea in a short amount of time. If they waited too long Aang would be long gone, and Katara was not about to let that happen. But on the other hand they were most lightly to get only one chance at rescuing him, and couldn't afford rushing in to anything. No, they simply had to come up with an idea, a great one, now. So far, things were looking bad.

"I've got it!" Katara turned to face her brother who hopefully had a real idea this time.

"What, what is it?"

"We could take them out. You know, attack. Water tribe style."

"And that would work because...?" Katara arced an eyebrow and sent her brother a sceptic look.

"Hello?? You're a water bender, they're out at sea, what more reasons do you need?" Sokka's eyes widened in excitement. It actually looked kinda funny.

"How about they are on a ship full of fire benders, how's that for a reason?"

"Okay, I see your point. But what if we took a hostage. One of those girls for example, and we could trade her for Aang?" Katara was pretty sure he was just making this up as he went.

"Yeah, because we totally had them the last time we fought them. Except you being thrown into a brick wall and me being paralyzed by that circus freak"

"You see, circus training, -handy! Maybe we should go over the details to that plan one more time."

"Sokka..."

* * *

Aang tested his limbs. The feeling was starting to come back to him, but he was still not able to move. Ty Lee and Mai had brought him down to the brig and chained him to the wall. Shackles on his ankles and wrists. Yup, he was pretty much stuck. He closed his eyes. _This whole "capture the avatar" thing is getting old_, he thought to himself. He was tired of being chased. Tired of fighting. Tired of being captured. Not to mention sitting in a small cell was indescribably boring. He definitely had to come up with an escape plan. Being the positive spirit he was, there was no doubt in his mind that a chance would come along, sooner or later. And besides, his friends would come and help him. Together they could do it. He couldn't mind but wonder what this Azula was like. She sure was...terrifying. But she had to have her weakness to, right? Like Zhao, sure he captured him, but he was too obsessed with power to not make mistakes and rash actions. Off course, he had gotten some good help from the blue spirit that one time. His eyes fluttered open. Zuko... He couldn't believe he had almost forgotten he was the blue spirit. Why had he helped him in the first place? He always tried to capture him for himself. He should have been glad Zhao caught him. That would mean the end to their chase, and Zuko could return home. Who wouldn't wanna go back home after three years? The gang didn't really know much about the fire prince, or how he came to chase them so obsessively, but rumours got around and they had learned he was banished for some reason. And for some reason it had something to do with Aang. Aang pondered about it for a second. Maybe that was just it, he needed to catch him for himself... There was more to this royal family than met the eye. Maybe he could try to get some answers while he was stuck down here. And who knew, he might even learn something useful.

* * *

The fire prince sat in front of the desk in his cabin. For hours he had gone through several maps, finding possible routs from Khoisan to the fire nation. Finally he had decided which one his sister was most likely to have chosen and rolled the scrolls together. 

At the moment he just sat there, his eyes fixed on something outside his window. The sun. It was about to set. It casted long shadows on it's way down in to the sea. He was running out of time. It had to happen tonight. Everything was timed perfectly. Judging by how far Azula had come by now, the speed of her ship and the speed of his own transport he had been able to calculate the time line down to the last hour. He had to leave no later than nightfall to be able to catch up with her two nights later. But still there was some loose ends... He would have to leave now. The main component of his plan was not yet in order.

Zuko went over to his dresser and slipped on a black shirt and trousers, the hilt containing the dual broadswords he hung on his back. With him he also packed a small pouch with some water, a bit of food and his blue spirit mask.

Suddenly the big metal door to his cabin slid open.

"Uncle, what are you.." Iroh raised a hand to silence him and walked over to the chair standing next to his desk. The general sat down, hands on his knees. Zuko watched his uncle, and suddenly he seemed more like a tired old man to him, than the cheerful mentor and powerful bender he knew him to be.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" His eyes looked tired too, Zuko thought, but there was still a spark of fire in there. He looked away.

"I have to go away for a little while, Uncle."

"This has something to do with the avatar." It wasn't really a question. Iroh sighed. "You have to stop pursuing that boy, and rather start pursuing a life for yourself."

The young prince let his eyes wander, apparently in deep thoughts. He lowered his head. "I...I can't uncle. It's my destiny."

"Your destiny is not yet set my boy. It is being molded by the choices you make today, tomorrow and the rest of your life!"

Zuko watched the dancing flame on top of the candle standing on the table in front of him, as he pulled the hood of his sweater up over his head. "I have to do this."

_No, you don't._ Iroh watched his nephew and felt sadness build up inside. This young boy was making himself so unhappy by striving to reach Ozai's overwhelming expectations. There was so many things he wanted to tell the young prince . So many things he wanted to help him realise, but he did nothing. Instead he just sat there and watched his nephew leave.

* * *

Dusk. The skies were dark gray and you could tell it wasn't long until night fall. The air grew raw and cold, and the fog dancing like smoke across the small pond next to their camp sent Katara shivers down her spine. They were nowhere near a solution. All day the water tribe siblings had tossed ideas of how to rescue their friend, but all of them lacked either possibility, probability or sanity. 

Katara rested her chin on her knees and pulled the blanket closer around herself. Soon it would be to late to do anything. They had to come up with something soon.

Sokka and Momo were currently fighting over some berries of a sort, and Katara couldn't help but smile. Her brother could be whiny, grumpy, complaining, a pain in the ass and down right stupid, but at least she could always count on him to cheer her up. The two rivals struggling on the ground nearby was hilarious, and what's more funny, Sokka was loosing.

The lemur finally freed himself from the boy's grip and jumped in to a nearby tree with his prize. Katara watched the lemur with amusement as he ate. He was such a glutton. Hey, wait, what's that.. She almost yelped in surprise when she saw someone, or something else up there with him. It was blue and white, with a grinning mouth and fangs. The water bender had seen enough wanted posters to recognize the figure as the blue spirit.

* * *

Sokka was still pouting over loosing his food to the lemur, but forgot all about it when he saw the look of fright on his sisters face. He followed her gaze and saw the masked person sitting a mere three branches above Momo. Being the rash and hot headed boy he was he ran over to the trunk of the tree and started hitting it with his club. "Hey, you spy! Get down here!" 

The blue spirit seemed hesitant at first, but leaped from his branch and landed gracefully on the ground next to Sokka. "What do you want?" Sokka held his club in front of him, pointing it towards the newcomer.

Katara could see the blue spirit clenching his fists, and knew this could possibly be a dangerous situation. If Sokka provoked him to much and went for his swords, there was no guarantee they would get away unharmed. And by the looks of it, Sokka was provoking him quite a bit.

"Sokka, why don't you calm down a bit and drop that club?" Sokka's jaw dropped and he turned to her in disbelief.

"What?!? He sneaks up on us. He is armed. He is wanted. And yet you're telling me to drop my guard? Nuh-uh Katara. No way."

"Take it easy Sokka." She walked over and placed a calming hand on his arm. "He is wanted, -by the fire nation. And a enemy of the fire nation is a friend of ours." The water bender turned towards the stranger and stared into what would be his eyes, except that there were only to dark slits in his mask. Still, Zuko felt like she saw straight through him.

Sokka grunted and dropped his weapon. Katara squeezed his arm a little in approval, but didn't take her eyes of the stranger for one second. "So, tell us. What _do_ you want?"

Her face was friendly enough, but her eyes made it clear that she was not to be trifled with. She had shown him a great deal of trust by calming down her brother. In return she demanded respect and honesty. To bad he couldn't give her that.

He tore away from her penetrating gaze and pointed towards the bison laying a few yards off.

"Appa..?" The girl looked confused, while her brother was starting to flare up again.

"No way. You're not getting Appa!" The masked stranger sighed and Katara was sure that movement he did with his head was in addition to a rolling of his eyes. The blue spirit pointed towards the bison once again, at the same time pointing to the top of his own head, drawing an arrow in the air.

"Aang...? Do you mean something about Aang?" The masked man nodded and turned his head up towards the rising moon. They would have to leave soon, should this work at all.

"Well, he's not here..."Katara hesitated. "He was taken by the fire nation...yesterday." She was careful not to spill too much information. The blue spirit nodded again and turned towards the flying bison, waving his arm at them to follow.

"You already knew?" He turned back to face the water bender. "But how...?"

"Aarrrgh...does it really matter Katara? What is the meaning of all this? Appa and Aang and the waving and nodding?" The young warrior threw his arms around, nodding his head, imitating the stranger. "What do you want? Go rescue Aang?"

_Maybe the boy had a tiny brain after all. _He nodded again, watching the two peasants in front of him.

"Oh,well..." the watertribe warrior arced an eyebrow at him. "Thank you, but we're fine. We were just thinking the same thing actually. And now we are going. Just the two of us. Alone." Sokka waved dismissively at the masked one.

Katara on the other hand overheard her brother completely. "Do you know where to find him, or which direction they went?" He nodded his head once more.

"Katara, come on. You're not serious. We don't know this guy at all."

"It may be the only way to help Aang. Your ideas were no good anyway. We need the extra help, plus he's clearly good at getting away from the fire nation."

"Oh, That's fair. Yeah, blame it on me.. At least I had Ideas!! How do you even know if we can trust this guy?" Sokka turned towards the stranger. "How do we know if we can trust you?" The masked man simply shrugged, as to say "you can't". Somehow, the simple truth of his action reassured Katara. Besides, this was the best chance they had at getting Aang back so far.

"Good enough for me." She turned on her heal and walked over to Appa with determined steps, and climbed up his back.

Sokka stomped his foot and started in a angry tone "Katara, come back here..."

"We're saving Aang, and that's that." His sister sent him a look that signified she had made up her mind.

"Are you guys coming, or what?"

"Girls, they're crazy.." Sokka sighed and walked past their new Allie, who stiffened a bit at his words. _Where had he heard that before?_

* * *

Let me know what you think! Good and bad:) Thank you... 


	4. Silence before the storm

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, blah, blah, blah...

Again, thank you for all the reviews everybody.

Akisua: I appreciate your thoughts. Criticism or not, it helps me write better! I'm sorry about alle the POV's, though. It's just that I feel I have to tell all the sides of the story. At least when the gang is separated, and so on, but I'll try to restrain myself:) About that one POV, however, where you didn't know if it was Katara or Azula, -I'm glad you didn't. That was kind of the idea..:)

Sharpbeak & GaraXxXhinata69: It really pleased me that you think I managed to stay IC. That was one of the criterias I set for myself before starting this fanfic. So please, continue to let me know if tthe characters are IC or OC.:)

Chapter four: Silence before the storm

* * *

Princess Azula stood in the middle of the wheel house on her ship. The captain was talking about something concerning the maps and scrolls laying on the table in front of her.She didn't really listen though.  
Finally the avatar was hers. _None other than me, will bring him back home to fire lord Ozai. And then, Zuzu.. _Surely, after her sorry excuse for a brother failed once again, the path to the throne lay open for her. She felt the adrenaline rush through her by the mere thought of controlling the whole fire nation. All that power. Sure, her forefathers had started the war and conquered major parts of the world, but she, Azula, would be the one who ended it all.Ozai was powerful and feared by all, but that would be nothing compared to the reign she planned to start. And she was getting close. 

Off course she felt a sense of loyalty towards her father, and she respected him in many ways, -and for many reasons. He had taught her a lot about life and war, taught her well. But the truth was; no one mattered more to her than herself, and she would crush anything, or anyone who stood in her path. It would be so easy. She smiled. Ozai trusted her more than anyone, and this last conquest would only add to that trust. And then, when he least expected it, she would strike. Once her father had denied Zuko once and for all, _she_ would dispose _him._ Just like _he_ had disposed his _own_ father, Azulon. Yes, her father had taught her well. _Maybe too well._

She smirked at her own brilliance and turned to the captain as he finished his sentence. "...By the north shores and then towards the capitol." The fire princess hadn't heard a word the captain said, and frankly, she didn't care. When she begun to speak, her tone was calm, and cold as ice.

"Captain. I see you have the knowledge you need to bring this ship to the fire nation as soon as possible. The captain looked confused for a second but managed to stutter out; "Th-thank you Princess"

She continued "What you do _not_ know is that I resent my time being wasted with meaningless talk." At this time she bored her eyes hard in to the trembling man in front of her. She could almost smell his fear, and she liked it. The man swallowed.

"I'll let it pass this once, since you clearly didn't know better." Her tone switched to a more pleasant pitch, and her eyes shimmered with understanding and compassion for a second, before they turned back in to cold steel. "Don't ever let it happen again".

"No Princess. Of course Princess." She sent the captain one last, cold, stare, causing him to stumble a few steps backwards before pulling together, bending down over his maps again. _Good enough_ she thought and left the frightened man to his work.

* * *

It was a clear, cold night and the moon shone brightly from it's residence in the night sky. Iroh stood on the top deck of Zuko's ship. Several hours had passed since the conversation in the prince's cabin, and Iroh was starting to worry. He sighed, and prayed a silent prayer that his nephew was alright, although he knew perfectly well that Zuko could take care of himself. His nephew had a strong spirit, and he was becoming a powerful bender. But still, when it came to that airbender, he lost his reason, and when Azula was thrown in the mix... Iroh shook it off. _Don't even think about it._ Still, he couldn't help but worry. Somehow he had to help the young boy.

When the confrontation between the two siblings occurred, which it most definetly would sooner or later, Zuko would need support. The old man furrowed his brows in worry. He was the only one supporting the boy, and he didn't even know where said boy was at the moment! If Zuko rushed into a fight against Azula, her friends and a ship packed with fire soldiers, all it would get him was a cell next to the avatar.

Iroh clenched his fists. He had to do something. Fine, he didn't know where his nephew was, but he couldn't let that stop an old war hero like himself. He knew the prince would go after his sister, one way or the other, so all he had to do was to find Azula. She was clearly headed towards the fire nation. A light went on inside Iroh's head; _The maps and scrolls in Zuko's cabin! _They had laid open and he particularly noticed them, because they were all of the western parts of the world, and that was strange, since Zuko couldn't travel to the fire nation without the avatar. He felt himself relax a little now that he had a plan. First thing tomorrow, he would go through the maps and figure out where his niece was most likely to be at.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Sir, we are waiting for you inside." It was lieutenant Jee. Iroh smiled back at the man. What a shame, he had almost forgotten all about music night.

"Oh, yes, I am on my way. And I promise you, Lieutenant Jee, I am almost as dangerous in the music circle as I am on the battlefield." He laughed and Jee offered him a broad smile in return. The whole crew had noticed the absence of the prince, and Jee knew how much general Iroh cared for the boy. Therefore he felt comforted by Iroh's cheerful response.

The general turned and walked towards the door. "Are you coming Lieutenant? I need you to accompany me on the Pipa." Jee however hardly noticed the genral's request, as he appeared to be in deep thoughts. "What were you doing out here?" The lieutenant glanced across the sea that lay before him, as to see if there was anything worth paying attention to out there.

Iroh stopped halfway through the metal door, and Jee felt uneasy by the graveness of his reply; "There is a storm approaching."

* * *

Aang awoke from his poor sleep by muffled voices nearby. Standing up, he could feel the pain in his back, brought on by sleeping on the cold metal floor. His cell lay in complete darkness except a few light beams shining through the bars in the metal door's window. The shackles restraining him were heavy, and Aang settled back on the ground after a few seconds. All of a sudden, the cell fell in complete darkness. Blocking the light coming from the hallway outside was a face, Azula. The fire princess smirked at him, and for a moment the airbender saw the family resemblance between her and Zuko. 

"How is the accommodations? I _do_ hope you are settling in nicely." Her face was the picture of innocence as she continued. "After all, you will be staying with us for a while." Aang gave her a look of dislike.

"Yeah, that's what you think." The princess eyed him in silence for a second. "I have a preposition for you, Avatar."

"I don't think I'm interested." The girl's smile was friendly, with sincere eyes and a pleasant tone, but Aang had already learned that she was full of deception. This didn't make her any less frightening. Quite the other way around actually.

"Avatar... –Aang, is it? I can't see how you could not be interested." The airbender flinched at the sound of his name. He hadn't dropped his guard, but had to admit he was kind of curious. The girl somehow caught on to that and continued.

"I want you to join us. Her words hit Aang like a bolt of lightning.

"Yeah, right!" Azula kept smiling.

"Or should I say, join me." Aang looked at her in question as she kept talking.

"The fire nation will take over the world one way or the other, at least now that you no longer offer a threat to our success, or hope to the rebels. My father will burn all in his path. Me however, I have no need for killing. With you on my side, people would surrender, and we could end this war in a peaceful matter."

"There is nothing peaceful about taking control over other people's life." Aang turned his head away, as in shame of her suggestion. Azula's tone kept it's soothing form, but her expression hardened.

"You are going no where Avatar. Now you have two choices; Help me spare the lives of a million people, or condemn them all." She left, and the light entered his cell once more.

* * *

The moon shone brightly and there was not a cloud in sight. This was very fortunate for the three teenagers sitting curled up on the flying bison. Katara and Zuko had settled down on his saddle, and Sokka steered. They had been traveling for a few hours, and with the bright night sky, and shining stars, navigation offered no further problems. 

Not all of them were in a good mood, however. Zuko had regretted his decision the moment Appa left ground. At that very moment, he realised he was stuck with the watertribe siblings for a minimum of forty eight hours, -and that he surprisingly enough had a small fear of heights. The prince grunted. Why hadn't he thought this more through. He always did better on his own. He didn't need help, ever. And yet here he was, traveling with the enemy. Friends of the avatar. On the back of his...his..pet..? The stupid bison was the only reason he had contacted them in the first place, but now, he wondered if there could have been another solution. A better one. The boy and girl were currently discussing something concerning their map.

"But Sokka...We came from over here." Katara pointed to a island on the coast of the earth kingdom. "And the fire nation is over here." She moved her finger across the map. "So what are you thinking, steering Appa in _this_ direction?" The girl tapped the map hard with her finger somewhere south on the map.

"Because. If they expect us to follow them, they will be scouting towards east." The boy raised his brows and put on a snooty look. "If we go this way..."

"...They will have time to lock up Aang and throw a celebration party before we even reach the borders!" Katara finished for him. She mirrored her brother's look, arms across her chest.

Sokka frowned at her smart reply. "I don't expect you to have any knowledge of evasive maneuvering, being a girl and all. Trust me Katara, I am a warrior, I know this stuff." Sokka pulled the map away from his sister, squeezing it to his chest in a possessive matter.

"You? A warrior? You're nothing but a stuck up, know-it-a..." Katara suddenly fell quiet as the masked man leaned over her, towards Sokka, signaling him to hand over the map. The water tribe boy sent him a suspicious look and gave up the map reluctantly. The blue spirit sat down next to Katara, and she felt a small tingling sensation when his arm brushed against hers. Carefully, she cast him a sideways glance, wondering who really hid behind that mask, and why.

The stranger rolled the map open, studying it closely. Katara was thankful he didn't notice her watching him and leaned in a little closer, so that she could see the map as well.

The map was completely different from the ones he had in his ship, and Zuko suspected it to be old, maybe even from the Avatar's days a hundred years ago. He wondered fo a second what the world had been like back then, and was quite fascinated to see the different colors decorating the map. All the maps he had ever seen was mostly colored red, due to the fire nation's domination size. This map, however, was different, and in a way...peaceful looking. He shrugged and cleared his mind. This was not the time, nor place to get sentimental.

After what he had heard of his new companions conversation earlier, the girl was clearly right. He respected the boys attempt to surprise the fire nation ship, but it would take to long. The prince raised his head and stared into the boys face, making sure he had his attention. Then he slid his finger across the map in a route much similar to the one the girl had pointed out earlier before he returned the map to a clearly dissatisfied Sokka.

"Oh, great. Take _her_ side. Good thing you have your boyfriend here so you two can gang up on me." Zuko almost choked trying to contain his laughter. If the boy only knew who he was actually calling the girl's boyfriend!

"You're just angry because I'm right and you're wrong, Sokka. It's settled, now get over it." The watertribe boy frowned and turned away, taking Appa's reins and steering him in the semi-agreed-upon direction. The two other sat on the saddle listening to his angry mumbling; "Stupid...idiotic..never gonna work...girls...guys sticking together..."

"Are you hungry?" Zuko turned to see the girl holding a few nuts and some fruit out to him. It was nothing like what he used to eat, but he hadn't ate in a while and his stomach already growled with hunger. Reaching out for the food, Zuko nodded his head in gratitude. It didn't feel right for him to do anything kind to the peasants, but he had a role to play if he wanted to avoid his identity to be revealed.

When the idea to join the avatar's friends had come to him, he had been unsure if it would work. The airbender had learned that he was the blue spirit that time he helped him escape. Zuko didn't know much about friendships, but found it odd that the Avatar had neglected to share his experience with the water tribe siblings. The monk had talked to him about friendship back then.. Zuko started to feel confused again. He had been doing that a lot lately. The prince laid down on his back at the end of the saddle. Legs bent, and his pouch behind his head. Hidden behind his mask he watched the other two. The boy was still steering the bison, sitting on it's head. He yawned now and then, and Zuko wondered if they steered on shift, or if the animal knew where to go. _Probably the first. After all, it is just an animal. _He told himself.

The girl, Katara, was busy packing things up. She was obviously getting ready to sleep. _She is kind of pretty,_ he thought, and immediately scolded himself for doing so. _shut it you idiot. She is with the Avatar, and you want to catch the avatar. Not really the perfect match_. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be to have a sister like her, instead of Azula. She was pleasant, friendly and had a good head on her shoulders. Sure, the water tribe teens had been quarreling more than two thirds of their time together, but there was definitely love between them. _I bet she wouldn't try to capture her brother. And I bet their father would never banish either of them. _He added the last part bitterly.

"Here, have a blanket. It usually gets sort of chilly during the night." The girl smiled and tossed him a blanket. He caught it and watched her attentively as he unfolded it and tucked himself in. Katara smiled at him.

"Good night." Zuko turned his head to sleep and closed his eyes. _Good night.._

* * *

_ A/N: Not a lot of action in this chapter, I know. But there are some important information in here as well:)  
_


	5. Discoveries

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar the last airbender or any of the cahracters.

Again..thanks for reviewing. It really means a lot to me.

As for concerns about Zuko and Katara taking a liking to eachother; Not any time soon.. But I really can't imagine Zuko acting all angry and stuff towards Katara. (remember in the crystal caves?) Many fan fics makes him more of a bad boy than he really is, I think:) But thank you for the input Akisua. I'll keep it in mind:) You are really good at this constructive-criticism thing, and I like that.

Wren sharpbeak: I agree, Azula can be difficult, so I'm glad you liked what I ended up with:)

On with the story:

Chapter 5: Discoveries

* * *

Katara woke up, feeling the cool breeze caressing her face. Judging by the temperature, it was still early morning. It was a good thing she had bought new blankets when they were in Khoisan. 

On the other hand, if they hadn't went there in the first place, Aang would still be with them, and he was a lot more important to her than staying warm during the night. _I hope he is okay.._

That damned fire nation.

The fire nation and their royal family.

_What is their problem anyway? _The waterbender was sure the people of the fire nation was tired of this war too. Sure, the royalties were eaten up by greed, and desire to rule the world, but what about the mothers and fathers who had to send their sons off to war? Or the boys and girls who grew up without ever knowing their father? Did they want this war as well? _I bet they don't._  
And if that wasn't enough, the princess of the nation had captured the worlds last hope for peace. And if she hadn't done it, her brother, Zuko, probably would have in the end. Katara sighed. Why did things have to be so complicated? Aang had told her about the days before the war, and it sounded so peaceful and great. Not having to fear for your family, your friends or your own life. That would have been great. And Aang had actually had several friends from the fire nation? That just sounded so...off.  
The only person she knew of who was fire nation was Zuko. Katara laughed inwards trying to imagine her and Zuko as friends. That would be weird, and down right impossible.  
Of course, her problems seeing them as friends could also have something to do with him being so serious, and angry, all the time. What about his sister? Katara laughed to her self again. –No...she was just plain scary.

The water tribe girl opened her eyes. The sun was about to rise, and in the early morning light she could see the sea far down below, surrounding them. Normally she would not get up at this hour, but she had so many thoughts in her head, and they made it hard to fall back to sleep. Turning her head a little she glanced over at her brother. She could see the top of his head over the saddle. Evidently, he had fallen asleep on Appa's head while steering. She stretched her limbs and turned towards their new companion. She suspected him to still be asleep, since he lay completely still in a relaxed position, although it was really hard to tell if his eyes were open or shut behind the mask.

There was so many things she wanted to ask him. Where he was from, why the fire nation was after him, how he had learned to fight with broadswords, what he looked like... Basically, she wanted to know his story. Katara imagined it to be great and full of adventures. The waterbender narrowed her eyes, as to detect something hidden in his form.  
Even though she had tried to, she hadn't been able to come up with a single reason for him wanting to help them. They had never met before, and there was nothing for him to gain by helping them. They were neither rich, nor of any mentionable importance.  
And how could he have known Aang had been captured so fast? She sighed. The waterbender knew she would probably never learn the answer to her questions. The blue spirit didn't say a word. If he was mute, or just chose to be silent, she didn't know. The only thing she knew, was that he was there. There to help them free Aang. And afterwards..? He would probably disappear like a distant memory, their paths never to cross again.

These thoughts made her kind of angry. What right had he to join them and not let them know even the smallest thing about himself? Then she remembered; she had _chosen_ to let him help, and she hadn't made any demands. He was in his full right, and that made her sad. Katara kept staring into his mask, all sorts of thoughts swirling around, when she suddenly realised, he wasn't sleeping at all.

He had looked so peaceful and quiet, she had taken it for granted he was asleep, but suddenly he had gotten up. -Way to quick for someone who had just woken up. She averted her eyes immediately when she realised she had actually been staring at him. The blue spirit just stood there, his face turned halfway, and she could see the black hood clinging to the side of his face behind the mask.

Katara studied him for a little while. The shyness she had felt a moment ago had been replaced with curiosity.

The one thing she had noticed about the masked man the first time they met, was his dominating presence. He was surrounded with this kind of aura that makes a room turn it's head if faced with it. He always held himself with pride. Which he still did, but now, she could practically feel his tenseness. This made her bewildered at first. Not ever had she had this affect on anyone. Then the curiosity came sneaking. What on earth is he acting like this for? He truly was a puzzle to her. Katara smiled. _I've always loved to solve puzzles._

* * *

What is she doing?! Zuko seriously considered to draw his swords against the girl. He, of course, had rose with the sun. The air around the bison held no sounds, and he just laid there, quietly, thinking. 

Suddenly the girl had turned to face him. At first he thought she was about to speak to him, but she didn't. Instead, she had just watched him. Zuko had seen several emotions flicker across her face, and then it had hit him.

_She knows. She knows who I am_.

He got up in the blink of an eye and looked away. _What do I do?_ His mind raced through the possibilities. _Deny everything? _No..It would never work if she already knew... _Jump off the bison?_ No...That would be suicide for sure.. _Fight? _No... Too messy.. His inward conversation was abruptly disturbed when the girls spoke out.

"I didn't mean to stare at you. It's just that..." Her voice trailed off.

_Here it comes._ "You seem familiar..." "Aang told me something.." All his senses were on high alert. Like the shores waiting for a giant wave to hit, he stood there, waiting for the girl of water to bring him down.

"It's just that we don't know anything about you." Zuko couldn't think of anything she could have said, that would've surprised him more at that moment.

_She doesn't know._

He felt his whole body relax and let out a silent sigh, before he turned to face her again.

Not that he really wanted to reveal anything about himself to the peasant, but he was so relieved she hadn't seen through his disguise, that everything seemed reasonably there and then. Besides, he could understand her curiosity. After all, they were travelling together, and they didn't know anything about him. _Of course, they wouldn't want too if they knew the truth._ He thought bitterly, but they didn't know, and he had to act like he didn't either. The firebender sat down opposite to the waterbender. Katara's eyes glowed for a second when she understood that this gesture meant she had gotten the go-ahead, and she smiled a quick smile at him.

"Um... How old are you?" The waterbender started in a careful tone. _What a prosaic question._ The fire prince smiled behind his mask. This would be smooth sailing if these were the things she wanted to know. He signalised '16' with his hands, upon which she replied.

"I'm fourteen, and my name is Katara. What do you want me to call you?" Was this really necessary? Did she have to call him anything? He shrugged. The girl raised an eyebrow at this and continued.

"Fine, I'll call you Kodan. It's a name from my tribe, in the south." Zuko flinched a little. Not only had this peasant given him a name, but a water tribe name? His enemy had given him a name from her own tribe and element. She had named _him,_ the prince of the fire nation with a peasantry, water name. It was outrageous.

In any other situation he would have scolded her, and maybe even lit her on fire. It was infuriating. At least it should've been. But the thing that really infuriated him was that it wasn't infuriating at all. It actually felt...okay. Weird, but okay. He couldn't remember the last time he had had a normal conversation with someone other than his uncle. Never the less a teenager like himself. It reminded him of that one time in the forest when he was with the avatar. He had felt the same thing then. It was a new somewhat experience for him, but not an awful one.

"So, Kodan." The girl smiled a clever smile. "Where are you from? Which nation?" _What now?_ This was worse. Should he lie?

"Earth kingdom?" Busy, thinking of a good answer, he shook his head in reflex, realising as he did so, that he could possibly have just closed the door to his only escape route. _I might just have to tell the truth. _The air nomads were extinct and the water tribes were a rare sight other places than the poles, and now he had passed up on the earth kingdom. Katara gave him a slightly surprised look.

"Water tribe?" He hesitated. _They have already taken you with them without knowing anything about you. Do you wanna make things worse by letting her know you're fire nation?_

"You're fire nation, aren't you?" She almost whispered it. Like it was a secret. He just kept staring at her, not moving a muscle. How does she know? The girl smiled shyly at him, as if she had read his mind.

"I noticed your hands. They're to pale to be the hands of someone from the water tribes." Zuko dropped his head and looked down at his hands. She is right. His pale hands was nowhere close to resembling her mocca complexion. He continued to stare at his hands. Never before had he felt...guilty for being from the fire nation. There was something about the sadness in her voice when she mentioned his home, that made him feel like he was the reason for all the suffering in the world. He didn't want to look at her anymore. Couldn't.

"It's okay." Her voice was smooth and comforting. "The fire nation took my mother from me" her voice hardened. "And I hate them for it." he raised his head and looked into her eyes. There was a determination in those eyes that almost scared him. He had seen that determination before, in his own reflection. The waterbender continued. "I also know that the mistakes of a few can not be blamed on all. That is why it is so important to rescue Aang, and help him save the world from the fire nation. And since you are here with us, helping us do just that, I know I can trust you no matter where you are from."

If he hadn't been silent before, he definitely would've turned silent now. His conscience was eating him up inside. Not so much by her words, because he had heard similar things about the fire nation and the avatar before. No, it was the fact that he first now dared to admit that it was true.

Somewhere deep down he had always known, but when he was at his ship, with fire nation citizens surrounding him all the time, he blocked it out. But now, right here, in the sky, on the avatar's bison, in front of this water girl, he knew how right she was, and it stung. What stung him more was that he knew he could never live up to the trust she invested in him. The minute he had helped them free the avatar, he would try to catch the boy for himself. His honor meant everything to him. Without it he was nothing, and there was nothing the peasant could say or do to change that.

There was an awkward silence hanging between them. Zuko felt out of place, and waited for the next question. He had been interrogated before, and now that she knew he was fire nation... Surely she would ask him to give her some information about his home that could be useful to her and her brother. The girl however, put on a playful expression, and leaned in a little closer.

"Fire nation, huh? What's your favourite color? And please, don't say red. That's too cliche!"

* * *

"Hello??" Is there anybody out there?" Aang sat in his cell, tired of waiting. Waiting for what, anyway? He had to do something, talk to someone, anything. Nothing was worse than sitting there, in the dark, while the ship was bringing him closer and closer to the fire nation and it's lord. 

"I know you're there, guarding me. I have to go to the bathroom again!" Aand shouted. The first time they took him to go to the bathroom he had tried to escape. It was a poor attempt though. His feet were shackled together so tight that he could barely walk, never the less run, and his attempt had ended up with him lying face down on the metal floor a mere two metres away from his guards. The only thing his stunt had gotten him were more guards, and less bathroom brakes.

There was a long silence, then the sound of the lock, and the door slid open. Two guards approached him from the hallway.

"How nice of you to drop by! I really missed you guys." Aangs voice dripped with sarcasm, and he put on a fake smile. The guards overheard him and started to put new shackles on him. tying his hands behind his back, before releasing the shackles that chained him to the wall.

"Are you afraid I'll escape two strong guards like yourself?" Guard number one grabbed his shoulders, leading him towards the door, while guard number two walked in front. That way, he was secured between the two of them. If he had been able to use his bending he could have gotten away despite the fact that they blocked his escape. But his hands were tied up, and so was his feet.

They led him through the hallways, finally approaching the bathroom. Guard number one freed one of his hands, holding on to the chain attached to the other. Privacy was a thing he could have in his cell, they had told him.

Aang didn't know how long he had been on board the ship. He was sure it had been a day at least, because they had fed him, but the hours went by so slow, and he really couldn't tell for sure. He missed his freedom. Being an airbender, his spirit was fleeting and playful, like his element. Being trapped in a metal ship, and not able to watch the skies, the sun, and feel the nature surrounding him, was plain torture.

He thought about Katara, Sokka, Momo and Appa. What were they doing now? Were they on their way to rescue him? Were they hurt? He hoped not, and felt the anger rise within him, by the thought of someone hurting his friends. Hey, maybe that was just it. His anger...

* * *

Mai sat on the stairs leading up to the bridge, polishing one of her knives, while Ty Lee walked on her hands across the deck. The sun was up, and unlike most fire nation citizens, Mai didn't care for the sun. She kept in her shadowy spot and watched her friend with little interest. 

"You should really get some exercise, Mai. I can teach you how to cartwheel." Ty Lee turned her head, balancing on one hand.

"No thanks. I don't wanna get all sweaty and dirty." Mai's voice was the example of boredom.

"What do you think will happen when we get to the fire nation?" The acrobat switched to the other hand. Ty Lee had always been flexible, coordinated and skilled in acrobatics. That was the great thing about the girls. They all had their specialties. Together they made a deadly team.

"I don't know, but I bet it's gonna be boring. I'll probably have to go back to my parents in Omashu."

"It's called new Ozai now."

"Azula!" Ty lee back flipped over to the stairs, as the fire princess approached them from above. The two other girls admired the princess quite a bit. She was confident, determined and in control of every situation. They were completely loyal to her, and in return she treated them with respect. Azula was cold and calculating, but the two girls were her friends, her only friends.

"We have a small problem ladies. There has been spotted a fire nation ship, trailing us from east. It's without a doubt my brother and Uncle." Azula was standing at the railing, hands behind her back, military style.

"What do you want us to do with it?" Mai closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall.

"Nothing." The prodigy scowled towards the horizon. "Not yet, anyway."

* * *

A/N: R&R! 


	6. Confusion

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar: the last airbender.**

Kind of "boring" chapter 5. I know:) Hopefully you find this chapter more exciting!

Appreciate your reviews. You know who you are..

Chapter 6: Confusion

* * *

"We're gonna have to land soon. Appa is tired." It was almost midday, and the trio had been flying for almost half a day without any rest. Katara knew that if they didn't let the bison have his rest, there would be no more flying. _And no more Aang_. She felt a chill down her spine by the thought of her good friend being lost to the fire nation, locked up in some dungeon. 

"Besides, it would be nice to rest, and maybe even take a bath." She turned up her nose at her brother. "Especially you, Sokka."

Sokka raised his eyebrows in a supercilious expression. "This is just my manly smell. It's part of what makes me a fearsome warrior."

"What, are you going to scare your enemies with your repulsive odor?"

Sokka overheard Katara's smart reply. He looked around suspiciously and lowered his voice at his sister. "Momo laid curled up on my head all night, and you never know where that scamp has been."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Sure. It's Momo. If not for him, you would smell like a meadow." Momo sat on Appa's head, eating random bugs, but turned his head at the sound of his name. "Anyway. There is an island not far from here. We could all take a rest there, stretch our legs and eat a proper meal."

"I do like a proper meal. Or what do you say masky?" The water tribe boy shouted at the masked man at the back of the saddle.

"Maskey?"

"Well, what do you want me to call him? 'The blue spirit' gets kind of tiresome in the long run."

"I've named him Kodan." The girl turned towards Zuko and smiled proudly.

"Well, I guess it's better than waiting for Aang to name him. -I mean, Appa? Momo?" Sokka turned to 'Kodan'. "You're lucky, you know. He probably would have named you Lala, or something." Katara burst out laughing.

Zuko didn't move a muscle. He didn't know the proper way to react. The fire prince was quite stunned by the lack of seriousness in this group. He was well aware that he didn't cause them to laugh, but felt uncomfortable nonetheless. Sokka shot him a doubtful glance.

"Wow...tough crowd" he leaned in and whispered to his sister. Katara watched 'Kodan', and sent him a reassuring smile. He had probably went through a lot.

"Give him some time, Sokka. Now, let's find that island." The young warrior steered Appa slightly to the right.

"Yip, yip"  
The great bison picked up speed, and soon they could see the outline of an piece of land through the clouds. Katara spotted a glade not far from the rocky shores surrounding the island. There was a waterfall which ended in a small, idyllic pond not far from the glade. "Let's land there!" She shouted at Sokka in excitement and pointed. The waterbender felt the urge to be in her element again. She knew that bending would really help her relax, as well as clear her mind.

The group landed with a "thud!", and Zuko, who wasn't used to flying a bison, much less landing one, rolled somewhat ungracefully over in the saddle. Immediately he got to his feet and pretended it didn't happen. _Not very prince like to fall over like that_, he rebuked himself. Luckily the peasants didn't notice, or acted like they didn't. He was glad either way. The only thing he wanted to avoid was them laughing at him, making jokes, like they had with the avatar.

Katara and Sokka unloaded all their stuff off from Appa and removed the saddle. The great beast grunted, and laid down in the shadows nearby. Momo lurked around their food supplies, sniffing in the air.

"I think someone is hungry." Katara towered over the lemur. Hands on her hips, tapping her foot. Momo shrunk for a second, before he ran up her leg, placed himself on her shoulder, and started grooming. Katara scratched him under his chin and turned to the boys.

"Why don't you guys go find some food, and I'll start the fire and get things ready."

"Come on maskey! Uhm... I mean Kodan. Let's go find some meat." Sokka turned towards the forest, and Katara was pretty sure she could see him drooling, just by the mentioning of meat. Kodan nodded quietly and followed.

The forest was thick with trees. Luckily the treetops allowed a few rays of sun to shine through them, so the forest were a lit with a dim illumination. The two boy walked through the forest at a slow pace. Zuko wondered if the girl would have problems with having her own brother for dinner, because the water tribe boy was really testing his temper.

"You see, the thing about hunting is stealth. You have to be able to sneak up on a pray. Be silent, not making a sound..."

_Much like you are now?_ Zuko thought sarcastically.

"...If they see you, or hear you, your chance is blown. That is unless your hunting seal turtles, or penguins.. Neither of those are particularly intelligent."

_Funny coincidence. A south pole trademark perhaps? _Zuko rolled his eyes and continued walking, hoping the boy would shut up soon. _Wait, what was that? _He heard the snapping of a twig. _Where did it come from. _The fire prince strained his eras. _There it is again!_ Some rustling in the bushes this time. He walked softly towards the sound, and there it was; A chicken rabbit. His right hand went to his back, reaching for his swords, when he felt a tugging at the back of his shirt.

"Sshhh...Did you hear that? It sounded like a animal!"Zuko nearly strangled the boy there and then. With a sudden jerk, he shook out of the boys grip and pointed towards the bushes in a obvious manner. The water tribe boy however, didn't seem to notice Zuko's bad temper, and continued his "hunting lesson".

"Oh, look. There it is! A chicken rabbit! Yummi.." Sokka gave his masked companion an approving look. "I see you are a fast learner. Now, watch me, and I'll teach you how to catch it." the boy crouched down, holding his club behind his head, ready to strike. "This is the point where it's crucial not to make a sound." Sokka whispered, and kept his eyes locked on the animal in front of them.

Zuko had hunted before. Many times. Not because he had to ofcourse. At the palace, they were faced with the most delicious dishes you could imagine on a daily basis. No, he had never had the need to catch his own food, but his uncle had taught him anyway. "A real man must be able to care for himself if required to" he had said, and Zuka had drawn wisdom from his words. It was then he had learned how to hunt for food, and fight with several weapons. The broad swords, however, had soon became his favourites. Two parts of the same whole, just like himself.

He watched the water tribe boy. He was in complete concentration, waiting for the right moment to strike. Zuko didn't think the boy was ignorant to what he was doing, but teaching him about hunting, and _stealth_? _I'll show him stealth!_

Sokka raised his club. The chicken rabbit sat munching on some leaves a yard away. _A little closer,_ the boy thought. _Just a little closer..._

Suddenly something blocked his view. Sokka saw the flash of a blade and heard a '_shwung'_. It was the blue spirit, and at his feet lay the chicken rabbit, decapitated.

"Hey! I almost had it! Sokka lept to his feet and shouted. His expression showed pure disappointment, before he suddenly turned it into a knowing grin.  
"You have done this before, haven't you?" The young warrior walked over to Zuko and put an arm around his shoulder. "It's nice to have another man on our team." Zuko, of course, didn't reply, nor move. If talking to the girl hadn't been a weird experience, this most certainly was. So they just stood there for a few seconds, before Sokka broke the silence.

"Okay. This is awkward." Then he bent down, grabbed their dinner and headed towards camp.

* * *

After dinner Kodan had left Sokka and Katara. They didn't know where he went, and they didn't ask. He had simply gotten up and walked into the forest. Sokka never really noticed, seeing as he was busy sharpening his boomerang.Katara noticed right away, but told herself not to care. He wasn't really one of them, and didn't have to answer to them in any way. But even though she told herself to let it go, it bothered her. Earlier that day she had felt a hint of a connection with him. He had chosen to sit with her in the morning sun, and even answered some of her questions. But now, he was back to being his distant self. He had this discreet way of constantly reminding her of the fact that they were not friends. At least that was what it felt like. It was as he was trying to say; "_We are Allies, nothing more."_

"Sokka, what do you think about Kodan?" Sokka stopped his sharpening and looked up at his sister in question.

"What, are you in _love_ with him or something?" Katara rolled her eyes at her brother's suggestive sideways glance.

"Don't be stupid Sokka. I'm just kind of worried about him. He seems so...distant." Sokka sat quiet for a while, thinking, before he turned back to attending to his beloved weapon. "Nah, It's nothing. It's just his '_thing'_, you know? Not everyone can be fun, and fascinating, like me!" He said it like he was stating a fact, and in a way, he really was. Katara smiled at her brother. She loved how he, in his own little way, could be there for her when she needed him. Normally Sokka was kind of a laughing stock. Weird thing always happened to him, and he could have some pretty quirky ideas, but he always seemed to know when to be her big brother. "I'm sure you're right." Katara felt a little better. Like Sokka said. It was probably just his _'thing'_.

* * *

It was past midday, but not evening yet. The sun shone brightly in the afternoon sky, warming Katara with it's gentle rays. Usually, this would relax her, and she glanced with envy over at Sokka and Momo, who lay basking in the sun. She felt restless. 

"Do you wanna go with me to the pond? I feel like taking a bath." The young girl asked her brother hopefully.

Sokka lifted his head a few inches, so he could see Katara. "I'll stay. Thanks anyway. I don't think Momo would want me to leave him!" Momo, who laid sprawled out on a sunlit rock, directed his right ear towards the sound of his name. Katara raised a brow at her brother. "Yeah, sure. But you're not sitting next to me when we start flying again." The boy shrugged and laid back down, arms under his head. Katara shook her head and went into the forest.

The pond wasn't far away. Only a few minutes walk. When the water bender approached the edge of the pond, she stripped down to her undergarments and jumped in. The water was crystal clear, and she could easily see to the bottom of it. It seemed like the pond was built by pale stones. This made the sanctuary seem light and inviting, instead of dark and mysterious like many ponds are. Katara floated on her back, feeling the cooling water lap at her skin. It felt so nice to be surrounded by water again. She floated around for a while, her body relaxing more and more for every second.

Just like she could use water to heal physical wounds, it felt like water itself could heal her mental ones. Worries, problems, dilemmas, fears... It didn't matter. The water washed away all her problems. She totally lost track of time, and didn't know how longs he had been there, when she noticed her toes and fingertips were wrinkled. _I guess it's time to head back_, she thought as she got out of the water and on to the bank. Standing up, she bended the water out of her hear and undergarments, slipping into her blue dress once again. Katara quickly braided her hear and looked around. _Maybe I should go looking for some berries while I'm out here.. _She knew from experience that when Sokka woke up the next morning, he would be hungry. _I might as well get the food gathering over with now_. She told herself and headed in to the forest once again, this time in the opposite direction of camp.

* * *

Katara fought her way through the bushes. The forest was really thick, with plenty of undergrowth, and she silently regretted even thinking about gathering food. "I'm not the one eating the stupid berries. Sokka should be out here, not me. But _nooo_. He's too busy laying in the sun, getting even smellier!" she growled as she broke through a particularly thick bush, scraping her arms and legs in the process. Suddenly she tripped and fell over, landing in the soft soil beneath her. It reduced her fall, but at the same time her whole front was now completely covered in dirt. "Aww, great!" She exclaimed, and was about to find some more reasons to why this was all Sokka's fault when the smell of smoke silenced her. 

_Fire nation._

It was the first thing that sprung to her mind. Had she been a girl living in a more peaceful time, she probably wouldn't have associated smoke with danger so soon. But she was living in the precense, and the danger of fire nation was very real to her. Without making a sound, she got to her feet. The young bender looked to the sky, trying to see where the smoke was coming from. Somewhere on her left a cloud of smoke came rising from the trees. It looked a lot like a campfire. Katara realised she was holding her breath and let it out. _A campfire._ That could mean anyone, not just the fire nation. But still, it _could_ mean the fire nation, and If there were fire benders on the island, she certainly wouldn't want to be there any longer.. Slowly, and careful not to make a sound, she walked closer to where the smoke was coming from. Soon she could also see the light from the fire shining through the trees. Katara got down on all four, creeping closer and closer. Now she could hear voices as well. It sounded like several people, and was that music she heard? She got back up on her feet so that she could peep over the huge bush in front of her. It was getting pretty dark, so she knew she wouldn't be seen.

Fire nation.

Of course. It had to be fire nation. No matter where they went, always the fire nation. Everywhere! When she thought about it, she couldn't remember the last time she had _not _seen the fire nation. She watched the men sitting around the fire. There had to bee at least ten of them, and by the looks of it, they were soldiers. _Great. Just great._ Ten grown men. Not only men, but soldiers. Actually not only soldiers, but fire bending soldiers. If they got caught, they were screwed. Katara knew she would have to go back and tell her brother and Kodan immedeatly.

Another man came walking in to the circle of light in the middle, and Katara literally felt her jaw drop. She had seen that man before. His name was Iroh, better known as the dragon of the west. But more importantly, he was Zuko's uncle. Katara stumbled back a few steps. If this was Zuko's uncle, then the soldiers were Zuko's crew. That could only mean one thing. Zuko was on the island as well.

Now she really had to get back to camp. The water bender turned to run, but unfortunately she was in too much of a hurry. Her dress had been caught on to by a branch, and as she turned to leave the scene, the branch broke. Katara was sure she would remember that sound for the rest of her life. It was only a small branch, but in her mind it sounded like she had demolished the entire forest. She froze. It felt like in a dream. It was so...unreal. The panic hadn't caught her yet, the adrenalin hadn't started rushing through her veins. She felt cold and... calm. Maybe they didn't hear it, maybe she was safe, maybe... Her hopes were shattered as she heard a man shout. "Someone is out there!" Suddenly everything became real again. She ran.

Feeling her way through the forest, Katara regretted not bringing her waterskin with her. _If only I could make it back to the pond._ Luckily she had always been in posession of highly developed orientation skills, and somehow she just knew which direction to run. It was a good thing she had this "inner compass" because the soldiers following her were gaining, fast. _There it is, just a little further. _Katara could hear the thunder of the waterfall. _Almost there_. She turned her head to see how far behind the soldiers were, when something tripped her and caused her to loose her footing. The girl rolled over a couple of times before she came to a sudden stop. The air blew out of her and she coughed a few times, struggling, trying to get up. She could feel the blood throbbing through her foot and feared she might have sprained her ankle. Katara crawled fanatically, failing at regaining her footing. Then something heavy forced her down on the ground, face first.

"Get off me!" The waterbender screamed and tried to buck off the soldier pinning her down.

"I've got her!" The man shouted to his companions, and soon two more approached them from the trees.

"Good job." One of them said. "Zuko will be very pleased to see we've captured the Avatar's little girlfriend. Let's bring her back to camp." The soldier pinning her down finally stood up, and one of the others helped him restrain their involuntary guest. Eventually, Katara gave up her struggles. She was being held between two of the soldiers, while the third walked ahead. She had no water, no friends... no chance. The waterbender found herself to be pretty helpless at the moment. But she wouldn't be forever. She had never had a problem taking care of herself, and she was a master bender. Sooner or later her chance would come, and when it came, she would take it. _At least I have my dignity._ She looked down her torn and muddy dress. _Some of it, anyway. _

Suddenly she heard a muffled scream a few yards ahead of them.

"Rizo?!" The man on her right shouted, and she figured Rizo was the firebender walking in front of them. No answer came. It was truly dark now, and nearly impossible to see more than three feet ahead. She heard a 'thud' to her left, and all of a sudden her arm was free. She lowered her gaze and squinted in the dark. The soldier had fallen to the ground. _What the... _Katara jumped out of the way just in time to dodge the third man falling. For a second she just stood there, not really sure of what to do. Then her sences got to her again. _I have to get back to camp before anyone notices I've escaped._ She turned to run, but instead she bumped into something. She felt a pressure at her wrists, and knew she had been caught again. _"I'll save you from the pirates." _Zuko's voice echoed in her mind, but when she raised her head to face the person holding her, she stared straight into a blue and white mask.

"Kodan!" Katara could feel the relief wash over her. He had saved her! Saved her from the fire nation, from Zuko, from being captured, and saved their chance at getting Aang back. She couldn't contain her joy, and pulled him into a hug. He didn't hug her back, but she felt him relax a little, and lean a bit into her embrace.

"I was on my way to tell you and Sokka." She released him and stared at him, a serious look on her face. "The fire nation is on this island. The prince of the fire nation, Zuko, has been chasing Aang since forever, and now he and his crew are here. We have to get away immediately, before they notices that I've escaped. Thanks to you" she added, and smiled at her rescuer.

* * *

Sokka was almost asleep, but he stirred and raised his head as the two came back to camp. 

"What is going on?" he asked sleepily. "Where have you guys been?" The boy rubbed his eyes and peered at them from across the fire.

"Sokka, we have to leave. Right now. Zuko is at the island. They almost caught me, but Kodan helped me out." She started packing their things together while she talked.

"But right now? I was sleeping..." Katara gave her brother a stern look. "Sokka. _Now_!" the young warrior grunted, but got to his feet. He stretched his back and eyed his sister up and down.

"I thought you went to take a bath."

"Never mind that. Let's just get out of here as soon as possible." Her brother raised an eyebrow and shot her a snobbish look.

"Fine, but _I_ am not sitting next to _you_"

* * *

Zuko wasn't sure he could comprehend what had just happened. He had left immedeatly after dinner, wanting to practice some of his bending. Especially the latest set his uncle had tried to teach him. Unfortunately with no luck. He still had this block of some sort, and the bending he thought would calm and relax him, only made him more frustrated. 

Standing amongst the trees, he had suddenly felt the precense of his element, and heard music which reminded him of a certain tealoving uncle. Following the sound, he had found the camp where his crew were resting for the night. At first it surprised him to see them there. But then he realised that it made him happy. His uncle was there for him, even though Zuko had left him behind.

Iroh had obviously gone through the maps, just like he had done himself, and found out where Azula was most likely to be at. Zuko didn't know how long he sat there, watching his crew, and feeling the subtle heat from their campfire, when Katara had approached the campsite too. The fire prince sat still in the dark, not wanting her to see him.

She had been watching his crew, just like he was, when suddenly she had turned to run.

He heard the branch brake. Who wouldn't have? That stupid wench was as much stealth as a wild elephant-hippo.

Zuko went over the events in his head. Could he have done anything different? No, he decided. It didn't please him to have to knock down his own crew, but what choice did he have? If he had let them take her, he could have kissed the avatar good bye. The watertribe boy would never have went after the airbender without his sister, and by the time they rescued her, the Avatar would be long gone. _Along with my honor._ Zuko knew he had done the only thing possible. And besides, he hadn't hit them _that_ hard. They would be okay. He could give them a medal or something when he had the avatar and his honor, and his fathers approval.

Zuko felt better about his decision, but the truth was that there was really something else bothering him. The girl had hugged him. She had hugged _him_. The fire prince was not sure if he had liked it, but he knew for sertain that he hadn't _disliked_ it.

Honestly, he hadn't been hugged since his mother went away. He could barely remember what it felt like, but hugging the girl had given him a glimpse of the past. He had remembered what it felt like to be close to another person. Remembered what it was like to be appreciated, and most importantly, how it felt to be loved. He knew his uncle loved him, but the two of them didn't have the habit of giving eachother random hugs and a lot of affection. Zuko thought about it for a second and decided he preferred it that way.

He was a prince, and almost a man.To show affection was a weakness in his fathers eyes. After his mother left, he had not allowed himself to show any other feeling than anger. His uncle was right. He had no inner calm. He was in turmoil. The water bender, however, had started to change something inside him, and he wasn't sure he appreciated her doing so.

The girl had also mentioned him. Him, _Zuko_. She had talked to him about himself. And that one sentence had stirred something within him. "The prince of the fire nation, Zuko..." Katara hadn't mentioned him by his title;_ Prince Zuko._ No. She had reffered to him as; _The prince of the fire nation, Zuko_. The second those words escaped her lips, Zuko had realised that he wasn't her prince.

Not hers, her brother's, the avatar's, the water tribes' or the earth kingdom's prince. He was the prince of the fire nation, and the fire nation only.

This whole war.  
His father felt it was his right to rule the world, as had the fire lords before him. Even Zuko had never questioned his family's right to rule the world. But right there, in the middle of the forest, staring into those clear cerulean eyes of the water bender, he had realised that _no one_, exept his nation, or maybe exept his family, shared this view. The girl did something to him. She made him think. Made him question his father, his family, and everything he had ever been taught. She confused him, and he didn't like it.

He watched the clouds passing by as they flew across the ocean. One more day. Twenty four hours. Then they would hopefully have the avatar, and he wouldn't have to be around the strange boy and his confusing sister anymore. He could do it. One more day. How much mental damage could she possibly cause him in that short amount of time..

* * *

A/N: Going on vacation for two weeks you guys, so my nest update will have to wait a while. But you know what would really make me happy? A lot of reviews when I return..:) 

Summer!


	7. Preparations

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Avatar the last airbender and so on..

I'm back from my vacation with a new chapter:) hope you'll all enjoy it.

* * *

It was late afternoon, and Aang sat inn his cell meditating, lotus style. Usually, meditating would help him calm his nerves, focus his mind and relax his body. This time, however, it was the last thing Aang wanted. He sat there focusing all his energy on his grief as well as the emotions he as a monk had been taught not to nurture; anger and hate. He thought about Gyatso, and how he had seen his reminders lying there amongst all the fire nation armors. He also thought about Katara, what he would feel and do if someone hurt her.

The only time Aang reached the avatar state was in affect of these emotions or when in danger. He wasn't quite sure meditating would do the trick, but figured it was worth a try. He had little else to do, -and a lot of time. The worst part about it all was the waiting. That, and the frustration of not knowing. Not knowing if his friends were okay, not knowing if they would come for him, not knowing if he would ever see them again, not knowing what would happen next. And then Azula had given him an offer. Aang knew for sure he wouldn't take it. He didn't support the fire nation, and he didn't want anyone to think so, or surrender to them because they did. _It's gonna be alright. Things will work out just fine. _The airbender knew very well where his loyalty lay, and he knew what had to be done for the good of the world. But something in the fire princess's words had stung him deep. What if he never escaped. He had yet to master all the elements, and had therefore no chance against the fire lord.

So if he couldn't beat the fire lord and stop him in his violent attempt to conquer the world, then maybe it would be better to join the princess and spare the lives of innocent?

No, he couldn't support her ideas. But the doubt had already been sowed. It was like a seed of growing confusion in his stomach.

Aang shook his head as to clear his mind of the undesired thoughts. _This isn't working._ He thought it little possible to meditate his way into the avatar state, especially when Azula and her suggestions filled his mind. There had to be another way to get out of this! Aang kicked the ground, causing the shackles restraining him to rattle loudly, the sound echoing off the metal walls of his cell.

"Getting a little discouraged, are we?" Aang raised his gaze to face the fire princess staring at him from the other side of the door.

Azula averted her eyes and studied her finger nails intently, presumably bored. "I just wanted to inform you of the fact that within the next twenty four hours we will be in fire nation waters. Another day, and we will reach the capitol," she looked him straight in the eye, "and the fire lord." Aang swallowed.

"My offer still stands if you would like to reconsider." The girl smirked. A confident smirk Aang decided. She was smart, calculating and confident. Most likely, she was used to have her way. Aang wasn't sure she would spare any lives if he joined her. She probably wouldn't even save his. But maybe her confidence was the key to his escape. If she was confident in his defeat and her own power, she would possibly let her guard down, just enough for him to slip between her fingers.

It was worth a try.

The airbender did his best to look defeated and crestfallen. Two could play this game. Her tongue might be honied, but he could do some acting of his own. Aang set his jaw and gave her the coldest look he could summon.  
"Maybe I _would_ like to reconsider."

There was a brief flicker of surprise in the girls eyes. So brief that Aang couldn't even be sure he had seen it before her scorning expression returned, a smile playing at her lips. "I thought you might."

* * *

Katara and Sokka sat in the middle of the saddle, trying to read the piece of parchment in front of them. It was getting dark again. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem, but this evening the clouds lay thick in the skies, blocking off the little light the moon should have provided them with.

Earlier that day they had spotted Azula's ship. The tension had increased accordingly after that. The two siblings had started making plans the same minute, never really agreeing on anything. Zuko, of course, had the whole plan set from the beginning. He knew when to strike, the best way to enter the ship unseen, what it looked like on the inside, where the Avatar was being kept, how to get the keys to his cell and how to most likely escape without being unmasked, so to speak. He swallowed hard by the thought of it. They couldn't get caught. If they did all hope would truly be gone. If Azula didn't kill him, his father most definitely would. They would have to have a nearly foolproof plan, which he did, but the problem was telling the siblings without actually telling them. Luckily, the girl had had some parchment in her bag, and Zuko was therefore able to write the plan down for them. Their only problem at this point was that the water tribe peasants didn't have enough light to actually read it. The fire bender was getting slightly worried. He tried not to admit it, but he could still feel that little lump of displeasure at the bottom of has stomach. His sister's ship was close, and in a few hours they would strike. It was crucial that the siblings fully comprehended the plan by then, and Zuko suspected the boy would need some extra time to understand it.

"These clouds are made partially from rain. Can't you just move them, so we can get some light here?" Sokka complained, turning the piece of parchment over in his hands, trying to make out the writings in the basically none-existing light.

His sister sighed. "It's not that easy, Sokka. I'm afraid we were in too much of a hurry when we left, and forgot the spark rocks back at the camp." Katara frowned as she searched through her bag for the fourth time, still not able to find what she was looking for.

"And there are no crazy moon powers you can summon?" They were all tired and stressed out, which was starting to have an affect on their moods. The siblings dreaded what next to come. The little bald monk had became dear to them, and to tell the truth, they were terrified they would screw it up.

"If we're talking moon powers here, you could just give Yue a call. I'm sure she would help you out!" Katara spat at her brother, letting her temper get the best of her, which rarely, if ever, happened.

"You leave her out of it! You are the one barging in to camp, demanding we leave in a hurry!" Katara's remark had really hurt Sokka. He was still sad about the whole incident with Yue, and sometimes he felt like a complete failure. His _one_ task had been to protect her, and not even that had he been successful at.

"What. So now you're saying it's _my_ fault? You..."

Zuko had been sitting quiet for a while, caught up in his own mind. These past few days had been a true test of temper to him, not to mention all the confusion and weird emotions. He had told himself to leave it be. As soon as he got back on his ship, things would return to normal. With this in mind he suffered through his inner turmoil, as well as his companions constant nagging and- to him- inexplicable teasing.

But this was too much for him to take. If he didn't do something soon, one of them would probably throw the other off the bison. Besides, this bickering was not helping his plan at all. Zuko knew very well what he could do, but he wasn't sure he wanted to. The fire prince closed his eyes and tried to meditate and shut out the sound of their quarreling.

"..Besides, _you_ are always the one forgetting stuff. Not me!"

_Concentrate on your breathing. Concentrate._

"Yeah? Well, I'm older than you, and what I say goes!"

He opened one eye and peeked over at them. Would they shut up already?

"Aww, that's mature Sokka!"

_Block them out. Just block them out._

"You know, someone has to be!"

Their discussion was beyond reason at this point. Zuko was pretty sure they had both forgotten what even started their argument.

"That is not what I meant!"

"No? Well, it is what you said!"

_Fine._

Zuko leaned over in a swift movement, and by snapping his fingers, he created a small, but strong flame. The fire burned in the middle of his palm, creating just enough light for them to see his handwriting. Sokka didn't look up, but shock and pleasure flashed across his face as the parchment suddenly became visible to him.

"Oh, good. You found the spark stones. Katara probably didn't check our things throughout." The boy was already busy reading the plan. Nodding here and there, and making sounds of approval where he read something he liked.

Katara sat dumbstruck. She had seen him snap his finger, creating a flame. He was a fire bender, and she couldn't believe her own eyes. She hadn't taken the fact that he was fire nation so badly, but a bender? For some reason unknown to her, it changed everything.

"Sokka..." She sat paralyzed. Eyes fixed on the flame.

"Uhuummm?"

"I think you should see this." Her eyes never left the fire bender, but she managed to move her arm and tug gently at her brother's shirt. The boy raised his head in confusion. Why was Katara being so weird? Then he saw the flame dancing in Zuko's hand, and he backed away in surprise.

"You are a bender..?" Katara looked at Kodan in awe.

"Fire nation!" Sokka screamed and grabbed his boomerang.

Zuko extinguished the flame and pulled away from them immediately. He knew he shouldn't have done that.

"Yes, Sokka. He is fire nation." Katara still watched the blue spirit. "I didn't know you were a bender though." She said it thoughtfully, like it reminded her of something.

Sokka dropped his boomerang and raised his hands in a I-give-up- matter." This is all to much. Avatar, water bending, flying animals, and now traveling with the fire nation? Had you told me a month ago all this would happened I would've never believed you."

Sokka sighed and for the first time Katara could remember, her brother looked genuinely tired.

"Fire it up." Sokka sat back down and unfolded the parchment. "We need to read this plan if we wanna get Aang out of that ship." Zuko and Katara sent the boy shocked looks. Out of all people, Zuko thought the rash and foolish boy would be most intolerant to his bending. He hadn't been with the two of the for a long time, but his personality wasn't that hard to read; Loud, full of nonsense, foolish... Zuko could've gone on forever.

"Sokka, are you feeling well?" Katara looked genuinely concerned.

Sokka gave his sister a weary smile. "What does it matter Katara? He has been a bender all this time, irrespective of us knowing or not. We have to focus on the task at hand, and that's getting Aang back."

Zuko gained a new found respect for the water tribe boy. His first impression of Sokka had been that of a complaining, sarcastic...idiot? -Yes, when he thought about it, he remembered to have called the boy an idiot in his mind several times. Now, he wasn't sure of what to make of the water tribe warrior, and he wondered if his usual behavior was really just an act, and maybe the boy was more compound than he expressed on a day to day basis. Zuko leaned in again and snapped his fingers once more, creating a small flame.

"Man, is that the best you've got? I hope you're better with your swords."  
Zuko felt his temper rise, but the voice on his right averted his mind immediately.

"How is it? To control fire, I mean?" Zuko sat still, watching her as she followed the flames movements with her eyes. He made the flame flare up a bit, before making it die back down. Katara watched in awe. "Fire is so different from the other elements. I can bend water if it's nearby, but you can actually _make _fire." She sat paralyzed by the flames, her voice dreamy. It was like she was watching a campfire, thinking, getting lost in her own thoughts.

"A man once told me that fire is a burning curse, and that it only brings destruction and pain..." Her voice trailed off, and Zuko could see pain in her features. _She is thinking about her mother, and it is true,_ he thought. _It _does _bring destruction and pain. It _is_ a curse. A curse that can burn you up from the inside._ But then he remembered what his uncle had used to tell him. Fire bending wasn't about unleashing the power of fire on others. It was about balance. It was about emotional stability, inner calm and discipline. But it could be a destructive weapon, if you chose to let it.

"I've never seen fire, or fire benders, as anything other than destructive and dangerous." She continued her examining of his element. "But right now, I can see how beautiful it is as well, because I know you are _not_ destructive, and that I can trust you." Katara tore her eyes away from the flame and gave him a trusting smile. Then she laid down next to her brother and started reading through the plan with him.

Zuko sat there, holding their light, confused as ever. He couldn't understand where all this was coming from? She was afraid of fire benders, but trusted him. Or was she only afraid of flames.. He couldn't tell. The way her mind worked.. Impossible, and completely different from his own. If she only knew. She would be more careful about tossing her trust around if she knew who he was. She couldn't trust him. Not for a second. He wasn't their friend, and he wasn't helping them for the pleasure of being nice. He was there for his own selfish reasons, and he had given them nothing. The girl was plain stupid if she hadn't noticed.

And still, there he was, creating a flame for them so they could read. And that was after he had saved her from being captured, -by his own crew! Not to mention he had helped the warrior retrieve dinner. What was going on? It was that girl again. When he managed to close his mind, and push the thoughts away, she came and opened it again. Filling it up with new, and more confusing ones. The worst part of it was that he caught himself silently agreeing with her on some things. She made him discover, and admit, several faults to his own person, and his family. It was like she was controlling his mind. No one controlled Zuko's mind. He had to get away! She had been casting her weird spells on him for the past two days, and he was sick of it.

How dared she. A lowly peasant, talking to him like he was her equal. Well, he wasn't. He was above, and beyond her. Both of them actually. He was royalty, and this whole scheme he had to put on just wasn't worth it anymore. This rescue plan was by far the dumbest idea he had ever had. _Look what it's putting you through!_ He had felt compassion for her when she told about her mother, she had made him lose focus on the things that really mattered. They treated him like they did, because they thought he was someone else, someone on their side. Well, he was on his own side and no other.  
His honor mattered to him.  
Catching the avatar mattered to him.  
His rightful place on the throne mattered to him.

The peasants didn't.

Zuko glanced over at the two of them. Focus on what's important. A few more hours, and all this would be over with, he told himself and stared out in to the clouds surrounding them. A few more hours and his honor, his whole life, would be within reach once again.

* * *

She almost couldn't believe her luck. Princess Azula stood on the deck watching the approaching night sky. It was could outside but she knew the temperature would rise the closer they got to the fire nation.

The ship's soldiers had finished their salute to her honor an hour earlier, but Azula had stayed behind when the others went back inside.  
She didn't really care for these formalities. It was just a tradition that had to be up kept. The only enjoyable part of their performance was the soldiers trembling in fear for her if they made a mistake. Not that she really cared. It wasn't worth her time, but it was expected of her. Besides, on boring days it could be quite entertaining.

On this day, however, she almost hadn't noticed their declaration of loyalty. She had been much to preoccupied with her own mind. Her plan was finally coming together. The Avatar had agreed to help her win over the world in a peaceful way. –Of course, with the avatar on her side, there would be no more struggle from the lowly peasants of the world.

Azula was born to rule. She knew it, and soon the rest of the world would too, -including her father. She smirked. Not that the Avatar was trustworthy. The princess knew it would take more than a day to convince him. It was most likely a stunt from his side. A stunt to get a chance to escape. She wasn't about to let him. The fire bender had decided the best way to win him over was to be pleasant and persuasive. Let him believe she trusted and confided in him. She could even make up some sort of sad story from her childhood. Like when her mother went away. Zuko had been nagging about that part for years. It was a good thing he got banned. _All that crying over mother._ She rolled her eyes at her pathetic brother. _Weak. That's what he is_. Azula thought about Zuko and smiled a dejected smile. It wasn't in his nature. He was just too...nice? No, weak. Too weak. Not focused enough. Not enough willpower. Not ruthless enough. One of their mother's traits, for sure. Zuko was like Ursa, and she was like Ozai. Azula strangled a yawn. It was time to go to bed. Tomorrow would be an important day. The fire princess turned on her heal and walked towards the door.

She failed to see the huge bison closing in on the ship. Flying past the moon it casted a huge shadow across deck before it disappeared behind a cloud.

* * *

I promise you! Next chapter will be filled with action:) I'll try to post it within a week. I kind of liked this chapter even though there's not much going on. I love messing with Zuko's head, and Azula is fun too.

Hope you guys liked it as well. That's what really matters! R&R... Thanks


	8. The Rescue

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything

Thank you my reviewers:)

Soukae Suzumiya Azul & YamiTenshi14: It's always nice to get new reviewers to my story.  
Wren Sharpbeak: Thank you..I think you have reviewed on every single chapter. I truly appreciate it!

Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it

* * *

Appa soared silently trough the skies. The only sound made was the low pitched flapping of his giant tail bending the air to his advantage. Sokka sat on his head, steering through the clouds, finding as much cover as possible while they closed the gap between them and the fire nation ship. Katara and Zuko had crept together at the head of the saddle. All senses were on high alert. 

Thirty yards.

The possibility of being caught at any moment was thrilling as well as nerve wrecking. All three teens were waiting for the alarm bell to ring at any moment as the ship came closer and closer.

Twenty yards.

Katara could see the silent silhouettes standing guard. Some of them were half asleep, chins resting heavily against their chests.

Ten yards.

Katara signaled to Sokka that he should steer down and approach the ship from sea level. That way they were less likely to be seen. A ten ton bison dropping out of the skies was quite noticeable.

If Appa had a stealth mode it was most definitely on at this point. The huge bison approached the metal ship not making a sound, except the slightest splash when he landed on the dark blue sea. The group was located at the anchor line at the back of the ship. Zuko, who had been waiting patiently while the siblings handled the bison and the landing, finally took charge. His black shade started climbing the anchor chain with little effort. He nodded briefly in approval when he saw the other two following him close behind.

The moon was peaking out from behind the clouds, casting a ghostly light. Zuko was glad it hadn't came out sooner. That could have caused them problems while approaching the ship. High above he could see the bison once again disappearing behind the cloud base. Katara had decided it would be safer for them if Appa hid someplace else while they carried out the rescue. She had Aangs whistle and could call for the bison at any time. It would be disastrous if the three of them were inside the ship, and a soldier accidentally stumbled upon the an air bison floating long side the ship. The boys had both agreed to her reason and therefore they were now on their own. No safety net.

Zuko hoisted himself up to the railing and jumped over with ease when he saw the coast was clear. The keys to the Avatar's cell would be in a small watch room located at the base of the stairs leading down to the brig. The plan was that Zuko would go down and take out the necessary guards on the way. The fact that he had to be dead silent, quick and not alarm any of the other guards was flagrant. If someone rang the alarm bell they would be doomed. Meanwhile the water tribe children would stand guard outside the door and wait for his signal.

Zuko stole his way down the corridor. _There is the stairs_. He waited for a second to hear if someone was coming, but the ship was as silent as the midnight sky, and he started walking slowly down to the brig. Halfway down he could see said watch room where they kept the keys to the cells and he knew it was guarded. A beam of light could be seen at the threshold. Even though the hood of his disguise covered his ears, Zuko should have been able to hear voices coming from behind the door. Loud ones. Having a ship of his own the fire prince was familiar with soldiers behavior when authority was nowhere to be seen.

Most leaders would want their subjects to be like dogs; devoted, loyal, conscientious and laying silently in their place when told to. But in reality they would never be dogs, no matter how hard you tried to make them. They were humans. They followed their leaders, often driven by fear of what would happened if they refused. They worked hard for the same reasons, but the minute they were left to themselves they would slacken off and become human beings again. Talking dirt behind their commanders back and complaining.  
-Unless you had their devoted respect, that is. There was only two ways to gain that kind of devotion. One was by offering them your respect in return, making them feel appreciated and useful. The other way was ruling with such a malice that their fear overshadowed any emotions of hate and dislike.

Zuko had an idea of what sort of reign his sister would prefer.

The silence made his task more difficult, but not impossible. Like a big cat he crept closer to the door. Suddenly the handle went down and the door started to open. It all happened in less than a second, but Zuko felt like he saw it in slow motion. Quickly, he jumped out of the way, behind the stairs, and turned his face towards the wall. By doing so he avoided being revealed by the bright colors of his mask. The other reason was that the human senses area able to detect things beyond our consciousness. Zuko was well aware of this. If he stared at the approaching soldier he was more likely to be discovered.

The door opened all the way and a fire nation soldier appeared in the doorway. Behind him Zuko could see another guard sitting in a chair. The keys to the cells hung on the wall behind him. The armored man walked up the stairs with heavy steps and disappeared.

This was his chance. One man alone in the watch room. Zuko would have to sneak in, disable the guard, get the keys to the cell and then signal the peasants. Then they would have to rescue the Avatar and sneak out before the other guard returned or the disabled one woke up and alarmed the ship.

The fire prince drew his swords from their sheath on his back and held them in front of him as a shield. He opened the door.

* * *

It was almost pitch black. The moon, who had threatened to enlighten the scene earlier, had disappeared completely. The water tribe siblings had crept together behind the staircase Mai sat on while sharpening her knives a day earlier. They could'nt see any guards, but the worm, yellow light shining through several doors and windows told them the ship was far from asleep. 

"What's taking so long?" Sokka muttered under his breath. Katara cast him a worried look as a respond. They both knew the risk of Kodan being caught was present. The water bender closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves. I_ hope he is okay. We have to rescue Aang._ It was getting cold sitting crouched down on the metal floor and her legs were getting stiff. If wasn't before at this point Katara realized how important it was that their little operation went without problems. This was their only opening. They wouldn't get another chance after this. Katara got completely lost in her own worries and almost didn't notice the creaking of the giant metal door just around the corner from where they sat. The slightest of a whistle came from behind it. It sounded more like the wind howling than a whistle, but Sokka and Katara knew exactly what it was and rushed inside without wasting another second.

How Kodan had managed to get the keys and how he knew which one was the correct they didn't know. And if they wanted to, they wouldn't have had time to ask. The three of them were running down the twisting and turning corridor. Zuko up front with Sokka and Katara close behind. The siblings trusted Kodan to know his way around the ship. They themselves were completely lost. They reached a dead end and Katara's first impulse was that they had failed. Then Kodan opened a door at the end of the hallway and they all stumbled in to the complete darkness of the brig. Kodan stood watch by the door and signaled the others that they should go and get Aang. The water tribe children crept down the corridor, cells on both sides.

"Aa...Aang...?" It was as close to a whisper as she could get without actually whispering. The gentle melody of her voice echoed softly of the walls. They walked slowly in silence.

"Aang, are you here?" Katara tried again. She felt the panic tug at her stomach. What if he weren't there. What if they had met up with another ship and put him in there instead. A lump started building at her throat.

"Katara?" His voice was testing, frightened and hopeful.

"Aang!"

Sokka and Katara ran over to the cell where the air bender was being kept. The water bender could barely contain her joy and smiled warmly at her friend while Sokka unlocked the door. Katara ran in to the cell and flung herself at Aang.

"Are you okay? We've been so worried!" Katara held him at his shoulders and examined his figure with her eyes. Not seeing any bruises and such she relaxed a little.

"I'm fine. Better now that you guys are here! How did you get in?" Aang's eyes were vivid with excitement and relief. He hadn't been looking forward to meeting the fire lord, and he definitely didn't enjoy the company of the fire princess.

"We'll tell you all about it later." Sokka unlocked the last chain restraining his friend. "Right now it's important for us to get the hell off this ship!" He grabbed Aang's staff from it's position leaned against the opposite wall and went over to the doorway, making sure the coast was clear.

"Gee. Is he even more stressed out than usual?" Aang whispered at Katara who gave him a knowing look in return.

Suddenly there was a loud boom at the other side of the door and Katara could hear the clinging of Kodan's swords.

"Time's up. Let's go!" Sokka shouted at them and started running down the corridor.

When they got out in the main hallway it was completely empty except for two knocked out fire nation soldiers, lying on the floor. Kodan was completely gone.

"Hurry up!" Sokka led the way through the winding corridors. Katara was getting anxious. Where was Kodan? And not that she wanted to get caught, but where were all the soldiers? This was a ship. And not just a ship, but a royal ship with a royal escort.

They reached the top of the stairs and opened the door to the deck outside.

The deck was in a total state of chaos. At first Katara didn't get it. She saw soldiers fighting soldiers like they had walked in to some insane training session. Then she noticed the other fire nation ship laying side by side to the one they were on. She recognized it at once; Zuko's.

"Great. Zuko is here as well. Not we have two fire nation psycho royalties to fight off." Sokka had obviously seen it too.

"Why is he here, fighting his own sister?" Aang looked positively bewildered.

"To get you, stupid. You are like the finest ham in the meat stand. Everybody wants a bite!" Sokka rolled his eyes and flung out his arms, as to emphasize that he was stating the obvious.

"Nice comparison, Sokka." Katara sent him a derisive look and pulled the bison whistle from her pocket. "Let's just get out of here as soon as possible." She blew the whistle the same moment as a blue fire ball came hurling towards them. Aang deflected it with his staff, making it explode on the ground a mere two feet from where they were standing. Azula came walking out of the smoke, a smirk plastered on her face.

"Leaving so soon? I was beginning to enjoy your company,_ Aang_." Her sweet expression turned hard and cold at the emphazation of his name.

"Yeah? Well the feeling is not mutual!" Sokka shot in and pointed his index finger at the princess.

Azula held her mask perfectly but Aang could see her eyes widen a bit in pure anger and backed a few feet away in instinct.

"I thought you learned your lesson the last time, peasant. Or maybe I have to remind you." The fire princess's tone was hard and dangerous. Aang could see right there and then why she was so feared. She was as precise and deadly as the arrow of a yu yan archer. Her brother Zuko had a temper as well, be he let it get the best of him most of the time. When you let your temper get the best of you, you get negligent. Azula never lost her temper. You could never tell how angry she was by just looking at her, but you could hear it in her voice. And Aang knew that her next bolt of fire or lightning would contain all the anger she kept under control inside.

Azula's eyes glowed with malice as she directed a stream of blue flames at the group. Katara reacted fast and bent a protective sphere of water around them. The sphere deflected all the flames trying to lick at the three of them. Aang broke out of the group and by using his staff he crated a current of wind, blowing the princess off the ledge they were on. Azula did a tumble roll and landed gracefully in a crouching position as Mai and Ty Lee appeared at her side. Three on three.

Sokka threw his boomerang at Mai, and missed. He got four blades in return, which he successfully shun by beating at them with his club. His boomerang returned and the boy threw it at his opponent. –Again with no luck.

Mai sighed and cast a pleading look at Azula. "Why do I always get the shoddy ones?"

"You..Oh, you are so gonna get it!" Sokka was all but shouting, and Katara saw his eye twitching. A sure sign that he was really upset.

"Don't tell me you're still mad about that seal- shrimp?" Mai asked in a dull tone before she flung six knives at him, pinning his right arm and foot to the wall. Sokka didn't even have time to be amazed at how she could pin him to a metal wall before a new army of blades came rushing at him. The boy ducked and managed to free his limbs. He threw his club at her, and this time, It was a hit.

* * *

Katara didn't know what to do. Appa should have been here by now. Several scenarios of what could have held him back ran through her head as she fought off three fire benders. She looked over at Aang and saw he was busy fighting Azula. They really had to get out of here. Katara remembered all too well how it had went the last time they fought Azula, and by the looks of it; nothing had changed since then. The fire princess created a fire ball, and sent it rolling towards the air bender like a giant boulder. The water bender watched in terror as it hit her friend, rolled over him and left him scarred and burned face down on the deck. 

"Aang!" Katara who had been busy with her own opponents suddenly got renewed strength. She washed the soldiers away with a giant wave and rushed over to her friend. Azula stood a few feet away gloating in her triumph.

"Looks like I've beaten him for the second time. And to think my pathetic brother couldn't catch him _once_." Her face was calm and emotionless, like she was giving a speech she had held a million times before and knew by heart.

Katara didn't ever hear her words. She was to busy attending to her friend. Aang slowly opened his eyes. "Katara...?" his voice was so weak and it broke her heart to see her friend like this. He was usually so happy and careless.

"It's gonna be okay Aang." Katara tried her best to be brave and sound convincing. The fact was that she didn't really know how things would turn out from this point on.

"Are you sure about that?" Azula's scornful voice penetrated through Katara's mind_. What does she mean? _She felt confused and raised her head to face the girl in front of her. The first thing she noticed was her eyes. Those golden orbs shone with a knowing sensation. She knew she had the upper hand. She knew she was stronger. She knew she was more skilled. She simply knew. The next thing Katara saw was the ice blue flame blazing from Azula's middle- and index finger like on a blow- lamp. The water bender was terrified. _She is ready to give Aang the final blow._

"You don't want to do that." Katara looked at the other girl with a serious expression. "If the avatar dies he'll only be born into the next element and you'll have to start your search all over again." She was careful to formulate her words as if she was talking out of Azula's best interest. She had a feeling that would give more of an impact on her than if she were to beg for her friends life.

The fire princess raised an eyebrow in a careless countenance."You think I don't know that?" She smirked. "That won't be a problem now, will it? The element after air would be water." The fire princess's smirk widened and her smooth tone sent shivers down Katara's tone.  
"The water tribes are nearly extincted. We'll just, what should I say, _wash_ them off the face of the earth just like we did with the air benders." The fire bender had a predatory look and no matter how angry her words made Katara, they scared her even more. This wasn't a weak threat said to frighten her. It was the truth. The fire princess meant every word and the water bender realized the blue flame wasn't just meant for her friend. It was pointed at her too. Azula made her move, and in that split second Katara saw her life flash before her eyes. From cheereful moments as a little child and up to the past weeks events with her friend and her brother. She also wondered if the flame was as hot as it seemed and how much it would hurt. She waited for the pain. Then she realized it wasn't coming at all. Katara opened her eyes and saw a wall of flames in front of her. From the other side she heard a semi familiar voice shout at her.

"You have to get off this ship! Get your brother and friend and go!!" The water bender didn't even think. She leapt to her feet, supporting Aang on one shoulder.

* * *

"Sokka!?! Where are you?" It was impossible to see more than two feet in front of you. The ship was covered in smoke and flames and Katara felt panic building up inside. 

"Katara, Aang! Over here! I can see Appa!" The two benders hobbled across the deck, following Sokka's voice. And sure enough, as they approached, the giant bison came diving out of the midnight sky and landed on board the ship with a thud and a flap of his tale, causing the soldiers nearby to tumble over and out of the way. Katara didn't waste another second and rushed over to the great beast and her brother.

"Hurry, get Aang up on Appa!" Sokka's expression turned to horror as he saw the state their friend was in.

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"He'll be fine. I can heal him later, but right now we have to leave." Sokka hoisted Aang in to the saddle and jumped in after.

"Where is Kodan?" Katara hadn't seen him since he had given them the keys to Aang's cell, and she was starting to get worried. Then suddenly, out of the thick carpet of smoke that covered the ship, a black figure wearing a blue and white mask came running towards them. He was almost close enough to touch Appa's fur when a whip- like stream of fire plunged at him, grabbed his foot and pulled him back. Katara watched their new Allie roll over and get in to a fighting stance, swords ready. Beset by soldiers, Zuko had his arms crossed, so that his swords and arms formed a sort of circle around his waist. Katara watched in awe as he un- crossed his arms and spun around, flames blazing from his swords, forming a arc of fire which caused the soldiers to back away. He got in to a different stance. The flames coming from his hands engulfed the swords completely, making them twice as deadly. Katara was amazed at how powerful a fighter -and a bender- he was. He attacked and blocked. Struck and dodged. Offense. Defense. It was like watching a beautiful dance. A beautiful dance of fire.But Katara knew very well it wasn't a dance. It was a deadly performance. And although Kodan was skilled and able he was out numbered twelve to one.  
The ring of soldiers closed in on him and Katara knew she had to do something. She summoned a overwhelming amount of water and formed it into a large circle on the outer side of the soldiers. It was at least eight foot tall and five foot wide when she manipulated it to twirl around. Then she shrunk it. She advanced it on the fire nation soldiers in the same way Master Pakku had done on her when she fought him at the north pole except she didn't want to press them together. She wanted the water to swallow them up. And so it did. She saw the fire benders twirl around a few rounds in her giant vortex of water before she stopped bending her element. The soldiers were flung across deck in different directions and Kodan managed to jump up on the saddle the same second Sokka told the bison to fly.

* * *

Aang lay in the saddle. He felt weak and everything was kind of blurry. He couldn't remember being brought on Appa, and he had problems focusing on what Katara and Sokka was talking about. He did however notice that a third person entered the saddle and he heard Katara's relieved voice as she reached out to hug the new arrival. 

"Kodan, you are all right!"

Kodan? It had only been two days since he last saw his friends and already they had found a new companion? Katara was hugging him, and his name was Kodan? Aang felt a sting of jealousy and bit his tongue softly.

A new friend.

They had a new friend.

And his name was Kodan.

Aang struggled to roll over in the saddle. Finally he managed to flip around and saw the back of a black figure. Katara beamed at him from over the stranger's shoulder.

"Aang, this is Kodan."

"Kodan." Aang replied and tried to plaster a smile on his face. It was a difficult task, due to the pain throbbing through his limbs. His attempted grin froze midway and turned in to a shocked grimace as Kodan turned towards him. His eyes were glazing over, but through the haze he could see a familiar blue and white mask.

"Zuko..?" The siblings jaws dropped. The last thing the air bender saw before he passed out was the aghast expression on his friends's faces as they exclaimed their horror simultaneously.

_"ZUKO?!?"_

* * *

A/N: It had to come sooner or later... R&R :) 


	9. Aftermath

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters...so on and so on.

Soupcan & Avelly allen: Thank you for joining the reviewers. -And the criticism too. Appreciate it. I'll never misspell ally again;)

Well, here is the next chapter. My inner devil have been longing for a cliffie, and now it's out of my system (for now). Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Aftermath

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"I say we turn around and drop him off with his sister!" Sokka was furious. Standing in the saddle he pointed his shaking finger at Zuko, a mean scowl on his face. Katara had been to surprised and shocked to speak but at this she raised her head from her sitting position. Zuko swore he had never thought blue eyes could turn so dark.

"I agree."

Zuko felt a jolt of anxiety. Not back to Azula. That would be the end to life as he knew it. It was difficult to navigate through the dark night sky, but he could feel the bison turn, and once again he saw the smoke rising from Azula's ship, so far away.

"You guys, don't."

All three turned towards where Aang laid curled up in blankets.

"I don't care who he is or why he did what he did. He saved me none the less, -twice, and I can't do this to him. –We can't." The strength in his voice was beyond what his condition should have allowed.

"But Aang, he lied to us..." Katara's tone was serious and convincing. Like the one you would put on when correcting a misbehaving child.

"It doesn't matter." Aang drew his breath. "He is a human being just like us. I can not condemn him like that. You've both seen what his sister is like." Katara opened her mouth to argue but closed it again. She knew he was right.

Sokka realized their defeat and turned Appa reluctantly back to their original course.

"So, what happens next?" The warrior cast a glance at his sister.

"We have to land somewhere safe for the night so I can heal Aang. First thing tomorrow we'll find Zuko's ship and return him to his own. The water bender sent the fire prince a nasty look over her shoulder.

"That is if he doesn't kill us first."

Zuko ignored her remark and proceeded to watch the passing clouds. He couldn't wait to get back to his ship and uncle. The fire bender wrapped his arms around him and raised his body temperature a little. For the first time he noticed how cold it was.

* * *

Katara was sitting on a rock at the riverbank. She was no more than thirty yards from camp and could easily hear the murmuring from Sokka, Aang and Momo. Some rattling sound told her that her brother was preparing dinner.

She had healed Aang in the river as soon as they landed last night. "you will be fine." she had told him with relief. It was so surreal to have to fear for your loved ones lives. It was however how their situation was, and she was undescibably happy that his wounds were not critical. Aside from bruises and a few burns he was practically unhurt. It would however take a few days until his soreness wore off.

The water bender streamed some of her element from the river, just like she had done that day in Khoisan before everything went wrong. Before Azula had captured Aang, and before they had met Kodan. _Zuko_. Katara added in her mind. She couldn't understand how she had liked him so much when he was Kodan. He was the same person as their archenemy, Zuko.

She practically couldn't wait to get the fire prince as far away as possible. Unfortunately Aang hadn't been feeling like flying due to his condition. So they waited. Still, Katara hoped he would feel more able soon. She was sure the only reason the fire bender hadn't tried anything was because he knew he was out numbered. Besides, he had nowhere to go, and no means to get there.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Zuko approaching the riverbank a few feet away. He knelt down on the shore and sat staring at the river for a moment before he bent down and started drinking. Katara scowled at him. _Stupid, arrogant.. _He didn't even notice her mean looks! An idea sprung to mind and the temptation was to great.

The bender concentrated, and with a flick of her wrist she sent a small wave into the fire bender's face. He scrambled back on the bank, spitting and coughing. Katara had to fight the urge to laugh out but fortunately she managed to stay calm. When Zuko looked over at her with suspicion she continued streaming her water, pretending she hadn't even noticed he was there.

The fire prince bent down again carefully and watched the water bender with caution. When she was sure he wasn't looking anymore she sent another wave at him. A slightly bigger one this time.

If the prince had been prepared for another wave, he certainly didn't take in consideration a bigger one. The wave drenched him. He stumbled back, trying to regain his footing on the muddy and slippery riverbank, failed, and plummeted into the river. –Head first.

"What was that for?" The fire prince stood in knee high water. A cloud of steam surrounding his body.

Katara plastered on the most serene look she could muster.

"What was what?"

Zuko's eyes transformed into slits as he stumped out of the river. His golden eyes were glittering in a dangerous way.

"Don't act stupid wench! You expect me to believe that a wave came crashing down on me from nowhere when there is a water bender close by?!"

"Yeah, I do!" Katara had a challenging look on her face, and every word was drenched in defiance.

The fire bender scowled at her and was about to say something in return before he changed his mind.

"What's her problem anyway?" He mumbled as he turned to walk away.

Katara wasn't sure he had meant for her to hear him, but that didn't change the fact that she did.

"My problem? I think you know what my problem is!" The water bender screamed at the retreating boy who flinched a little at her unexpected retort, but kept his calm and slowly turned around to face her.

"Besides from being a stuck up know- it- all who mothers everyone? No, I don't think I do." Katara was used to these remarks when they came from Sokka. Usually at the point in their discussion when he had already realized he was the loosing part. When from Zuko, however, she had no clue as to how to interpret them. The fire bender wore a serious, almost bored expression and neither his face, nor tone revealed any emotions.

For a second the water tribe girl just stood there fuming. Not knowing how to channel her anger she felt confused. Confused, but angry none the less, she shortened the distance between them in a few aggressive steps.

"Well let me help you." She poked a finger in his chest. "You! You are my problem! Such a self centered, spoiled little brat!" She kept poking him with every word she said, marking her words.

"You don't know anything!" Zuko hissed and knocked her finger away as he turned to leave.

Normally the water bender would have caught the seriousness in his voice and recognized that the argument had taken on a whole new direction. But Katara was to fired up to leave it at that. Besides, she was not about to back down for a power hungry fire prince.

"Yeah?! Well, I know one thing; You lied! I trusted you, and you lied!"

Zuko turned halfway and Katara was surprised to see a almost amused smirk on his face. "Are you saying you would have taken me with you if I hadn't?"

"No, but..."

"I didn't think so." He said it in a matter of fact kind of way but failed to disguise the longing in his voice. As he turned to walk away again something changed inside Katara. Her anger had completely left her, and confusion had assumed it's place. He had lied so that they would take him with them. But why?

She placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Why did you want to help us rescue Aang?"

Zuko stopped but didn't turn. She could see him watching her warily out of the corner of his eye.

"because I need to catch him my self." With that he shook off her hand and walked off.

"What do you mean, 'catch him yourself'?" Katara shouted, but the only answer she got was the calm babbling of the river.

* * *

The sun was shining bright in the morning sky. Not a cloud in sight. Appa was all packed up and the entire group was eager to get airborne again. Sokka stretched his limbs and yawned drowsily.

"Great day. Don't you think?" Katara smiled at her brother. He was rarely in a good mood this early in the day.

"And the best thing is that it's getting better by the minute," Sokka continued, "because every minute that passes by brings us closer to departing with our favorite prince." Sokka glared sarcastically towards the fire bender.

Zuko ignored him without a countenance but Katara could see his jaw muscle working as he suppressed his anger, and guessed he would only take so much of Sokka's remarks. The last thing she wanted at this point was a fight. Zuko would soon be back with his uncle and then they could forget that these bizarre past two days had ever happened. The three of them would continue searching for an earth bending teacher for Aang, and Zuko would hunt them with all he had. Katara never thought she would enjoy being followed by the fire nation, but at least things would be back to normal that way.

"Are you guys ready? Let's go!" Aang jumped out from behind Appa, a huge grin on his face. Katara had to smile too. She envied his way to suppress worries and enjoy the fun things in life. Maybe it was an air bender trait, because she had never seen anyone else behaving the same way as Aang. It was first now she allowed herself to be happy and thankful that he was okay. There had been times during the rescue where she hadn't been so sure that things would work out. On this day however, with the sun shining and their whole gang gathered and safe, nothing could break her spirit.

Soon four kids, a lemur and a bison was soaring through the clear blue skies. They had no clue as to where Zuko's ship would be, so they flew in random sig- sags, covering as much ocean as they could while heading towards where the fight had been the night before. The smoke still rose from the spot they had fled half a day earlier and wreckage laid spread in the ocean as far as they could see.

"Wow, I didn't realize the damage was so severe. You would've thought they'd stop fighting when we left. I guess they didn't notice." Sokka frowned as in deep thoughts. "I always knew the fire nation was less intelligent." Zuko shot Sokka a look that made it clear he didn't like this assault on his nation's intelligence.

"No, Sokka. They fought each other. Zuko's ship was there too." The water bender glanced at her opposite. "I think his uncle saved Aang and me from Azula." The fire prince snapped his head towards Katara and he wore a worried expression on his face.

"Uncle..." His knuckles whitened as he clung to the rim of the saddle. For the second time that day Katara surprised herself by feeling sorry for him. She understood his anxiety. It was the something she had felt before they rescued Aang.

"Oh, look. There it is!" Aang smiled and urged his bison to pick up speed by the sight of the fire navy ship. The ship had suffered great damage. It was painted in sot at random places where it had been hit with fire blasts, and the rear deck was almost completely gone. The group circled the boat a few times to be completely sure that Azula and her crew was nowhere near.

"How do we know you won't try to capture Aang the second we land?" Sokka raised a eyebrow and looked at the fire bender in a sceptically way. Zuko didn't even notice he was being addressed. His brows were furrowed in worry and his gaze locked on the ship below.

"I think we will be safe." Katara placed a reassuring hand on her brother's shoulder and gave Aang a nod, signaling that he should bring them down.

The ship was a complete graveyard. Pieces of broken metal lay shattered all over the main deck and the ship it self was full of bumps and wholes. The four kids made footprints in the soot as they crossed the deck, all of them thankful that they had yet to see any hurt or dead people .

"Uncle...?" Zuko's voice was careful and testing as he called out for his mentor. Like he wasn't quite sure if he would prefer his uncle answering or not. But whatever he decided on the ship was dead silent. Katara could see the panic in his eyes now. She felt sorry for him, but she also felt sad for her own sake. She remembered general Iroh from their early encounters with the fire prince. He always seemed like a good and generous man. Katara couldn't thank him enough for his effort to save the moon spirit at the north pole, and now he had saved her and Aang as well.

"We'll find him Zuko." She stood behind him and was unable to read his expression but guessed he was not the sharing type. The water bender restrained from reaching out to touch him and instead she turned to her friends.

"Let's split up, search the ship. If you find any wounded, call for me and I can try to heal them." The boys nodded in response and took off.

The water bender turned back to face the back of the fire prince and felt conflicted about what she should do. She hadn't forgiven him for his betrayal, but on the other hand, she couldn't help feeling sympathy towards the fire bender. Deep in her heart she knew what was right.

"Are you okay? You can come with me if you want.."

"Get away from me."

Katara hadn't expected Zuko to be more polite than usual, but his remark stung none the less. The frustration of wanting to help and not being allowed to was hard to bear, but she held it in and instead she gave him a weak smile as she walked past him.

"Don't give up hope just yet."

* * *

What should he do? What could he do? If something had happened to Iroh.. He didn't want to think about it. If what the peasant girl had said was true, that he had saved her and the Avatar from Azula...

Zuko learned when they were kids that Azula abhorred being denied things she wanted. He remembered the day he had gotten his first fire bending scroll. His mother had given it to him for his eight birthday. Azula, being the prodigy she was, already out mastered her older brother. Still, she would have to wait a few years before she could get a bending scroll of her own. Late that same night she had entered his room, asking him for his scroll. When he refused to give it to her she had tried to take it. He had blocked the door and twisted it from her hands. Maybe she was better at bending, but he was still her older and stronger brother.That was the first and only time he had seen Azula loose her temper. She had fired random blasts at him and the whole fight had ended with him standing in the doorway with nothing but a handful of ash to hold on to. His sister had burned his scroll in rage when she couldn't have it herself.

Zuko could only imagine what her reaction would be if Iroh had denied her the Avatar. The ultimate prize. She would be furious. Not that his niece would be Iroh's biggest problem. He had his own brother to answer to if Azula brought him back to the fire nation. And if Azula was bad, his father, Ozai, was definitely worse. He wouldn't hesitate to punish his own brother for hindering the capture of the only person that stood in his path to world domination.

Lost in his own despair, the fire prince didn't notice the water bender returning from inside the ship.

"Zuko... There's someone I think you should talk to." His eyes were empty when he turned to face her, like the light was on but no one was home. He followed her down the stairs in a sort of trance. At the bottom he could see the Avatar and warrior. At their feet lay a man. Fear flashed through his body by the sight of the man. He almost wanted to turn back. The man was lying flat on his back and only his strangled coughing and gurgling breath told him that the man was still alive.

Zuko had learned a long time ago not to show any emotions. At leat not any of the ones considered as weak, but somehow the water bender saw his fear even when he couldn't bear to feel it himself and she said the one thing he wanted to hear right there and then.

"Relax, It's not your Uncle, but we think he might know what happened to him." She cast a glance at the injured man on the floor. "I've tried to heal him, but I'm afraid his injuries are to severe. He haven't got much time left."

Slowly, Zuko knelt down to the soldier on the floor. He recognized him as one of his own crew. The pain of seeing a man he knew in this much pain was overwhelming. He placed a hand on his forehead and asked in a calming voice.

"Do you know what happened to my uncle? Please tell me if you do. I have to know." The man was falling in and out of consciousness and had trouble focusing his eyes.

"I...I...I served you well...didn't I?" The gurgling of his lounges was unbearable.

"You did.." Katara thought she heard the prince's voice crack. Not that she could blame him.

"He is...The ship.. Burning.."

"Please, if you can tell me anything..." Zuko's voice had a desperate edge to it and his eyes were pleading but he still managed to stay calm.

"The princess...she took him with her...on her ship..." Zuko dropped his head. Azula had uncle iroh. It was not at all good news, but at least he was alive. Maybe not for long, but he was still alive. He guessed they would reach the fire nation within the next twenty four hours and then there was no telling what would happend to Iroh, but there was still an ounce of hope left.

"Thank you. You have been of great help.. I'm sorry there is nothing I can do for you." The man on the floor was delirious, but Zuko could see the glint of the person he really was somewhere behind the haze of pain, and for a split second he saw fear in his eyes. Real fear. Fear of dying. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what would happend to him next. So he took his hand.

"Everything is gonna be alright." The soldier tried to smile as his eyes pleaded with the bender for reassurance or a promise of that it truly would be alright. "Trust me." Zuko squeezed his hand a little firmer. The injured man locked eyes with his prince and suddenly relaxed. Zuko smiled a faint smile as the soldier closed his eyes.

"Don't give up hope just yet."

* * *

Sorry for taking my time with this one. I'll try to speed things up;) R&R please! 


	10. Surprises

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avatar or any of the characters.

Hi. Again, I can't than you enough for reviewing. And also all of you who have added my story to favorite and such. I love it:)

Enough talk..

Chapter 10: Surprises

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A cool breeze whisked across the deck. Due to the nice and warm day, it should have been a soothing sensation, but the small group couldn't help but feel like an arctic storm had just swept by. Zuko's damaged ship was encased in smoke and the silence was like having a promise of death and destruction hanging overhead. The three boys and girl stood there in silence, neither knew what to say or do. Katara felt stranded on the wrecked ship. Most of the crew had been either captured or killed. The lieutenant and a few soldiers had escaped with only a few scratches but the ship was damaged almost beyond repair. It couldn't move from it's spot, and neither could she.

Well, technically she could. They had Appa. The bison could fly her, Aang and Sokka anywhere they wanted to go. A part of her longed to climb up his saddle and head towards the earth kingdom where they could find Aang a teacher. They had been traveling where and when they wanted for several weeks now. It had been so satisfactory simple. But nothing was simple anymore. She couldn't leave, not now. She and Aang had Iroh to thank for their lives, an knowing he was a captive on board the fire princess's ship. -The solution was simple, but hard to make. All three of them knew they would have to help Zuko rescue his Uncle. Not that the idea was tempting. Katara still didn't feel as if she could trust the fire bender, and he was rarely in a good mood. When he had been masked she would have thought the stranger had just led a difficult life and that his behavior had been marked by his experiences. But now that she knew it was Zuko... A prince. -How much suffering could he possibly have experienced? She shook her head at her own thoughts. No, It's probably like they say; some eggs are just rotten.

Lieutenant Jee and the remaining soldiers approached them from the ship's rear.

"What are your orders sire?" Zuko had his back turned to them and was apparently busy looking for something in the horizon. By the sound of his lieutenant's voice he lowered his head and sighed.

"We must find my uncle." He continued staring at the sea. Jee looked a little apprehensive, like he was dreading what he would have to say next.

"My prince, the ship is in no condition to go anywhere. And we'll never catch up with your sister's ship before they reach the fire nation.."

"I don't care!!"  
Zuko spun around. His eyes showed nothing but frustration.

"I don't care..." He turned back to his original position. The crew looked bewildered and cast nervous glances at one another.

"We could help you." Aang said.

Sokka rolled his eyes and moaned as he sunk down to his knees. "Do we have to?!"

Katara lowered her eyes to the floor.

"What? I'm just saying. You were both thinking about it." He addressed his two friends. "Iroh saved us, and Zuko has saved me. We owe them both. At least _I_ do. You can stay here if you want." He said the last part with a disapproving tone and the water tribe siblings felt guilty at the very second.

"No, Aang. We're with you." Katara took a few steps to stand beside her friend and put an arm around his shoulder.

"I don't need any help." Zuko had turned towards them and he didn't look frustrated anymore, just angry.

"Actually...You kind of do!" Sokka raised his brows and pointed at the fire bender who looked, if possible, even more furious.

"What Sokka here is trying to say," Katara scowled at her brother, "is that we _want_ to help."

"Well, I _don't _want you to help."

"But can't you see that you have a better chance at saving your uncle if we join you?" Katara knew he was proud and all that, but she didn't think he would let his stupid pride get in the way of saving his uncle's life.

"In what way are my chances better? I shouldn't have teamed up with you in the first place! Look where it got me! No Avatar, a broken ship," his voice softened to a point where Katara almost thought it would break, "and now my uncle is gone..." He bored his eyes into the water bender.  
"I want you to leave my ship."

"Zuko..." Katara started in a pleading voice. It was suicide to go after his sister on his own.

"I told you to leave my ship." The prince's tone was calm, but it had a dark undertone to it that Aang noticed was in likeness to the one of his sister. He knew better than to push the subject.

"Okay, fine, we'll leave." The air bender looked hesitant and sad, and Katara knew how he felt. One could only offer to help, never force people into accepting it.

Lieutenant Jee had been standing in silence, but now he stepped forward and started in a careful tone. "Sire, if you don't mind me saying so; Maybe your friends could stop at the closest harbor and let them know we're in need of reparations."

"They are not my friends!" Jee was a bit taken aback, but continued.

"No, of course not. My apologies sire." Zuko glared at him for a final time before he turned on his heal and marched inside the ship, slamming the door behind him.

"It's okay. We'll find a town and let them know." Aang gave the lieutenant a quick smile before he jumped up on his bison. His friends followed close behind.

"Appa, yip, yip!"

* * *

Zuko sat in his cabin which was luckily intact. It felt so long since he had last been her, so long since his uncle had sat in the chair in front of him, trying to tell him something. And like always, Zuko had refused to listen. He kicked the chair so it flew into the wall behind it, smoke erupting from his knotted fists. He knew Jee had been right. Even if they got help to fix the ship it would at least take a week and by then his uncle would be securely locked up in the dungeons beneath the fire palace.

The banished prince sunk into his bed. Elbows on his knees, he rested his head in his hands. Everything felt so hopeless. What could he possibly do? He hated not being master of the situation and for a split second he regretted not taking the Avatar's offer for help. The fire bender laid down on his back. He felt tired. Like he hadn't slept for days.

His eyes slipped.

What could he do? All hope was lost. He didn't have any say in the matter. Someone else had taken control over the situation and he had no choice but to sit back and go where the road took him. All his obsession with the Avatar and his talk of destiny suddenly seemed so ridiculous. There was no such thing as following your destiny. If the destiny had been set, all you could do was walk along. You would have no choice but to follow. He wondered if his destiny really had been set, what it was, and if there was a way to change it. With these thoughts in mind the fire prince drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Do we really have to help them?" Sokka was turning the map over in his hands. The shoreline should have been visible in the horizon by now, but all they could see was open sea. "I mean, he'll fix the ship, and for what? -Just so he can hunt us down again, that's what!" Katara sighed. Her brother had been kind of grumpy the past few days and she suspected the low intake of food to have something to do with it.

"He still doesn't deserve to be stranded like that." Aang was in a good mood, but serious, and Katara knew he was worrying for the prince and his uncle." Besides, we could need to relax and do something fun." He plastered on one of his broad smiles and gave Momo a little rub on the head.

"Fun? Do you remember what happened the last time we were supposed to have a little fun!?" Katara rolled her eyes. She knew her brother well enough to be certain that he would not pass up on the opportunity to be both sarcastic and whiny at once.  
"You got captured by the fire princess and we got tricked along by her grumpy brother. Yeah, you're right Aang. That was fun!" The warrior had his arms crossed and a scornful expression on his face.

Aang smiled a apologetic smile to the older boy. "This time it'll be different Sokka. I promise!"

* * *

"This place is wonderful!" Katara couldn't remember the last time she had felt this calm and relaxed.

The gang had arrived in the small town a little after noon. A polite and helpful boats man had welcomed them at the docks and when they told him of the ship in need of repairs, he had seemed eager to get a chance to earn a little extra. The old man had recommended they tried out the hot springs at the outside of the town. So the girl and two boys had strolled along the small cottage- like houses with grass on the roof until they reached the springs.

The springs were located inside some caves, but not dark and moist ones. These caves went deep inside the mountain, but earth benders had modified them so they were light and welcoming, and filled with a pleasing light that seemed to radiate from the cave walls itself.

Katara stretched her limbs in the soothing water. The man at the docks had winked and told them the water possessed healing powers. They had laughed at his joke of course, but now Katara almost believed him. The warm and calming water lapped at her skin and she felt she really needed this treatment. The water bender glanced over at her friends to see the same look of content in their faces. Aang was bending air in to the water, creating bubbles which he used to play with Momo.

Sokka laid outstretched, arms behind his head, sighing and yawning now and then.  
"I feel hungry. I think we've all deserved a nice meal before we head on to the earth kingdom capital."

"I agree!" Aang smiled one of his winning smiles and continued playing with Momo. "I think I saw a place on the way here. We could go check it out." The other two nodded and took deep breaths. As comforting as these springs were, there was no denying the clenching in their stomachs.

"Okay, let's go. I wonder if they have whale-jerky."

After a few minutes walk the group arrived at a small cottage. It was one of many wooden houses on a row, with large wooden steps leading up to the front door. Aang hesitated at the top of the stairs. It was so dark inside that the gang got insecure to whether i was open or not. Testing the door, the air bender noticed it slid open quite easily, and together they walked inside.

The place was truly dark, but as soon as your eyes got costume to the dim lights you could see it had a certain charm to it. Every table had a small candle at the center and other candles hanging from the wooden beams cast a cursory light through the room. Katara spotted an empty table in a corner at the other side of the room. As soon as they sat down, a man in earth kingdom clothes and an apron appeared to take their order. Katara tried the house special, Aang chose a salad with several vegetables and some bread and Sokka got his beloved whale- jerky.  
Katara sat in silence and enjoyed her meal. She never got tired of these small treats in their usually troubled and stressful lives. They could finally relax and let their guard down. Zuko was nowhere near and would not come after them for a while. The fire princess had lost their trail the night before and things were finally going their way. The water bender sighed and leaned back into her chair.

"I think I would like some tea. How about you guys?" the girl smiled at her friend and brother. Sokka was too busy munching in his food to even notice he was being addressed. Aang smiled back at her and nodded.

"I would love some honey brewed mint leaves if they've got!"

"I'll go and see." Katara got up and walked over to the counter by the entrance. A rather plump man on her right was obviously giving the waiter a hard time with his order.

"I'm sorry. We haven't got that. Actually, I'm not sure I've even heard of it.." Katara smiled to her self. The man next to her was gesticulating and explaining with much enthusiasm. He wore earth kingsom robes which were a bit to long at the sleves. This made him look even more comical. Aside from the over sized clothes and the wild gesturing he was also loud, so Katara couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"... Well, then you can make me Yasmin. I always say; She's the only lady you can trust to not trouble your mind." The man turned halfway and winked at Katara. Normally she would have smiled at such a gesture, but the surprise and shock of the presence of the not so unfamiliar man caught her off guard.

"Iroh?" The man cast her a suspicious glance.

"Have I had the pleasure of your company before?"

"You're Zuko's uncle!" At this the general's face softened into a pleasurable and relieved smile.

"So, you are a friend of my nephew?" He took a sip of his tea and muttered to himself. "I knew he had good taste in women." Katara couldn't be sure she had heard correctly and proceeded to answer his question instead.

"My name is Katara. I am a friend of Aang, the Avatar."

Iroh took another sip of his tea and a glint of recognition wandered across his features. " No friend of my nephew then?" He smiled and added. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is?" The general still smiled, but his eyes had turned sad.

"We left him at his ship this morning. He was going after you." Iroh furrowed his brows a little in confusion. "We all... I mean... We thought Azula captured you." Katara felt stupid the second the words escaped her lips. The gentle, tea loving man in front of her looked less like an uncle, and more like the general she had heard stories of.

"The day I am captured by my own niece I will walk voluntarily into the unwelcoming grasp of my brother." Katara blushed and looked down. He was a war general. The dragon of the west. They had been ignorant to think so little of his power.

Iroh was smiling again now. "You know, I learned a few tricks in my youth." The man winked at her again. How could this nice and mellow man be Zuko's uncle?! Katara was sure he didn't share his nephew's views about capturing Aang.The water bender felt she had always been a good judge of character. _–Except for Jet, but no one is perfect, _she told her self. She looked at the man in front of her one last time, as to assure her self of that she was making the right decision.

"Me and my friends are sitting at a table over there," she gestured to the corner where her brother and friend was waiting for their tea, "would you like to join us for a cup of tea?"

* * *

It was dark outside now. The three kids and the general were still sitting around the small table. Sokka and Aang had seemed apprehensive at first, but they both relaxed a great deal as Iroh started telling them funny stories from his years in the war, appealing to both their interests. Hours had passed and the whole company was filled to the brim with tea. Except for maybe Iroh, who still filled his cup now and then.

"Just like my nephew you are all to young to carry this burden." It was a philosophical statement and the gang watched him in silence as he continued. "I can tell that you, Aang, grew up in a time of peace, and I envy you that privilege. It is a terrifying thing when kids, such as yourselves, act so far beyond their years."

Katara nodded and smiled understandingly. "That is why we have to put an end to this war and make the future better for everyone."

"Would be a lot easier if we weren't chased by the angry jerk all the time." Sokka was leaned back into his chair, picking his teeth.

Iroh sighed. "You know, he is a troubled young man. Life hasn't always been kind to him." Katara watched him carefully. She had a question she had been dying to know since the first time she saw Zuko, but she didn't know whether or not it was the right question to ask at this point.

"Does this have something to do with his scar?" Aang's eyes were the perfect example of innocence and Katara was grateful that he had been the one to ask the question instead of her.

Iroh gazed at the dancing flame at the table in front of him. The light reflected and emphasized the color of his golden eyes. "I will not tell you the story of his scar. It is not mine to share freely, but i will tell you it has everything to do with the Avatar. –You Aang." If Aang was surprised by the general's reply, he didn't show it. The air bender appeared to be in deep thoughts. For Katara however, it felt like a light suddenly had been turned on.

"Zuko told me something the other day. Something about him needing to catch Aang him self. I didn't get it then. –I still don't..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to look for some hidden clue or sign. The water bender knew the answer was right in front of her, but still it felt like fumbling in the dark. Iroh eyed her calmly and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"One could get lost in the mind of another." Katara smiled back at him. He didn't answer her question, but somehow his reply helped just the same.

"Now, I would truly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to bring me back to my nephew's ship. Who know's what troubles that young man could get into on his own."

* * *

A/N: Razzledazzle41191; I do agree with you. Iroh is perfectly capable of taking care of him self;)

R&R


	11. Secrets

Diclaimer: I do not own avatar...bla,bla,bla.. Looking forward to book 3!

Hi all you guys. I'm sorry for taking my time with this chapter. i've had this huge block that didn't allow me to be any creative at all. I know some of you were "disappointed" by my effort on the previous chapter, and to tell you the truth; so was I;)

I hope this one is more to your liking, and with no further redo...

Chapter 11, Secrets

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Zuko stood at the very end of the deck, -as far away from any of his shipmates as he could come. He was barefoot, and besides from his silk pants he was wearing nothing but a robe. The fire prince could feel the could steel under his feet and was sure he would have frozen to the deck if the temperature had been any lower, but in a way it was soothing. It awakened him in a strange way. The cold and hard steel made him more alert and receptive.

Zuko felt his heart pond inside his chest.

"Thump-thump, thump-thump"

It was almost like a war drum. The wind caught the silk robe and grazed his already cold skin with a chill sensation as the light fabric danced across his figure to a silent tune.

He was captivated by these moments of insight. Everything became more clear to him. Like a veil had been lifted from the world. When he was like this he could feel his body and soul in a different way. -A better way. When he was like this he knew exactly who he was, and who he wanted to be. Out here on the deck he was strong, independent and rigid. He was calm, and in control of the situation.

He felt relaxed.

The night was dark and clear. The fire bender could see every single star in the sky, and it was overwhelming. In his moment of realization and greatness he felt inexplicably small. It felt like the stars were crashing down on him, and amongst them, a outstanding star, more magnificent and brighter than the rest came into view.

Zuko sighed.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the warm light coming from the galley and he knew there would soon be a dinner prepared. The fire prince balled his hands into fists and stared at the sky once again. The star winked at him.

He dreaded the approaching meal. He would have to sit down with those lowly peasants and the avatar again. When he had finally gotten rid of them they had returned. –With his uncle. He was of course glad to see his uncle, but the young bender couldn't help feeling frustrated as well. He grunted and glared towards the galley. This only meant he owed them.

As if saving his life hadn't been enough!

* * *

The meal passed with little trouble. Mostly because none except Iroh talked much during the dinner. Zuko had entered the room with the intention of spending as much time as possible staring at his plate. The water tribe boy, Sokka, had wolfed down his steak before starting on the next course and was mostly preoccupied with chewing. The avatar and the waterbender had glanced nervously at each other through the whole meal and only words uttered was when politely answering Iroh's questions.

Zuko scowled at his own reflection in the mirror. The fire prince had finished his meal and left the uncomfertable silence as soon as he could. He suspected the mood would have improved the minute he shutted the heavy metal door behind him. The prince growled and saw the candles in his chamber rise in a fury that matched his own. Why did these things have to be so difficult to him? Why couldn't he just relax and sit down, have a nice dinner and talk carelessly about all and nothing. -A skill his uncle mastered down to perfection. He had an aura to him that made people relax and feel light, including Zuko. But no matter how much he tried or wanted to, he couldn't. Zuko snorted. Why should he? The avatar and his friends didn't mean anything to him, and he was nothing to them. It would only feel like a lie if he were to sit down and pretend they were the best of friends.

Zuko let his index finger trace the outline of his scar. It hadn't always felt like a lie. The fire bender saw his own features soften in the mirror in front of him. He had felt like one of them. He had had friends. Zuko brought his whole hand up to cover the scar on the left side of his face. He stared at the boy in the mirror. This was who he really was. Who he had once been. He remembered how happy he had felt back then. Before his mother's disappearance and his own banishment.

_Blue eyes_

He had felt the same lightness and enjoyment when he had been Kodan.

_Crystal blue_

Up in the sky, riding the bison.. He hadn't been the banished fire prince then. Just Zuko.

Zuko could almost see those clear, understanding eyes staring back at him in the mirror.

He blinked and whirled around, hand still covering one side of his face. She _had_ been staring at him from the mirror. From _behind_ him. He felt anger and embarrassment roam through his whole being. He couldn't believe she had caught him in such a personal and vulnerable moment. He glared at the wench. The only reason he didn't yell at her was because he couldn't decide on what would be the most effective way to hurt and embarrase her back. She just stood there. A painful look in her eyes. The last thing he wanted was her pity. Without a word Zuko stormed out of his room escaping Katara and those damned blue eyes.

The prince walked down the corridor with quick steps. He needed to see his uncle and take his mind of that idiotic wench. Uncle Iroh would have a plan. He would know what to do next, and the thought of having a goal and something to focus his mind on was simply delightful. The young prince grunted in anger and embarassment. He couldn't believe she had seen him like that. Now she would probably run to her brother and the avatar and they would all have good laugh at his expence. Well, for the last time. He would see his uncle and then kick them off his ship. He told him self he could have the courtesy of giving them a few hours head start, then he would go back to hunting the airbender.

Zuko stopped at his uncle's door and took a deep breath. It was time to get his mind back on track. He had let that stupid waterbender cast her spells on him for too long. Softening him and making him insecure. The next time he found them, there would be no mercy.

The firebender pushed the door open. "Uncle, I need to speak with you". He could see Iroh standing on the other side of the room, but he seemed busy going through his closet, and didn't answer. Zuko stepped inside and took in the room. One of the walls had a huge hole in it. Zuko guessed it was due to one of the explosions during the fight. The chill wind crept in and made the pieces of torn parchments dance and twirl through the room.

"I feared this would happen." Iroh mumbled. More to himself than anyone, and Zuko watched his uncle in confusion. He understood that several of his uncle's possessions had affection value to the older man, but Iroh had led several years at war. He was not unfamiliar with suffering losses. Zuko found it hard to believe he would deal with the loss of his belongings in such a poor way.

Zuko approached his uncle from behind and placed a hand warily on his shoulder. He loved his uncle, and he knew his uncle loved him back, but this was still a unfamiliar situation to him. Usually it was the other way around.

"It'll be alright," Zuko started, "we'll buy you new things." Iroh sighed.

"It's not that easy." The young prince squeezed his uncle's shoulder a little harder. "It'll be alright" he repeated. His voice firm and determined. Usually the elder man acted as his mentor. Iroh was the soothing rain to his fiery rage, always calming him down when his temper gott he best of him, -and his judgement. Zuko refused to let him down, if for once, his uncle needed him to be strong and brave.

Iroh sighed again, and when he turned to face his nephew Zuko was surprised to see that the golden eyes he had expected to room a sad and mournful look hosted nothing but frustration and worry.

"My boy, you do not understand." Zuko withdrew in an instant movement of surprise. "Something is missing from my quarters. Something that must never fall into Ozai's hands" Iroh kept his gaze locked with the younger prince and continued in a darker tone. "-And now your sister is in possession of it." Zuko had no idea as to what his uncle was talking about, and he couldn't imagine anything that would justify the look on Iroh's face, but the seriousness in his voice was more than enough to send chills down the young bender's spine.

"What are you saying..?" Iroh closed his eyes and walked over to the lone candle burning at his desk.

"When I was about your age I made a small metal box. I was quite the inventer, you know." Iroh smiled briefly at his nephew before continuing. "There is really nothing special about the box, except for the fact that it can only be opened by using a certain line of firebending moves. –A code if you will. Within the box I keep my most secret parchments. Some of these contain a certain information that Ozai must never learn."

Iroh saw the emotions flicker across the young mans face. Mostly confusion and ignorance. Zuko furrowed his brows and walked over to his uncle.

"But if the box has a code to it..."

Iroh averted his eyes and looked shameful. "He knows the code. I taught him when we were children." his features suddenly softened. "-And still on good terms," he added. There was a unmistakably longing in his voice, and Zuko could only guess that a kind hearted man like his uncle would naturally miss having a relationship to his brother that didn't call for one of them to get hurt. Of course, they still got a long, but not thanks to Ozai. He had always been power hungry, and an older brother, to him, was not familiy but mere competition.

Iroh stroke his forehead in a worried gesture. "The second your father sees that box, he will recognize it, and then..." Iroh shook his head. No words needed. Iroh glanced at his nephew who looked absolutely bewildered.

"Uncle, what is the content of this box?" He said it in a more demanding tone than he would have liked to, and Iroh sent him a suspicious look as he started fiddling with his beard, like he often did when he was thinking.

How many years had it been? Since the banishment, Iroh had spent nearly every day with the young prince and over this period of time he had came to love him like a son. Watching the young man develop and grow, making his own decisions, making his own mistakes. It had been rewarding to an old general to have such youth in his life, and the boy had grown into a fine young man over the years.

Iroh knew Zuko well enough to predict that withdrawing information would do no good. –Besides, he trusted his nephew and wanted him to know just that.

Still, his obsession with the avatar was a battle, and Iroh couldn't be sure the prince would ever realize that the airbender was not the solution to his problems, -not in the way he thought anyway- and that was causing him great difficulties in answering the question he ultimately knew could only have one answer–The truth.

The general placed a hand on each of the young prince's shoulders.

"The box contains information about the avatar." The elder man saw a glimpse of something he didn't like in his nephew's eyes, but knew this was a risk he had to take. "Information about how to kill him, amongst other."

The sudden look of disappointment on Zuko's face was almost comical. He was positive Iroh was going senile. It was no secret that it was possible to kill the avatar. Not that it would do any good, considering the reincarnation.

"Uncle, there is no use in killing him." Zuko rolled his eyes and relaxed a little. He honestly didn't know whether to be frustrated or relieved. "He'll only be re-born into the next nation, remember?"

Iroh shook his head. "Not if he is killed in a certain way." Zuko's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you saying...?"

"I am afraid so." The possibilities flashed through Zuko's mind. What he could gain with such information! He didn't know if he would be able to kill the avatar himself. After all, he had nothing personal against the kid, but he was sure his father would take him back if he were to provide him with such valuable information. A sudden picture of how his life could finally be appeared in his mind. Everything could go back to normal!

He could see his father welcoming him home, Azula at his side, proud to be his younger sister. A warmth filled him up inside. It would be like the banishment had never taken place. He could finally have everything he wanted.

But for what price? The young prince saw his uncle's disappointed expression in his mind. He could never betray his uncle when he trusted him like that. And giving his father that information would be the same as if he were to kill the airbender with his own hands. The firebender wasn't sure he could condemn a nother human being like that, and snapped back to reality. It didn't matter what the box contained. Iroh had lost a precious possession and they had to get it back. If not from his father, then at least from his sister. If the information about the avatar weren't going to make his father approve of him, he sure as hell wasn't going to let it help glorify his sister even more.

"What do we need to do?" Iroh smiled relieved at his nephew.

"Get it back of course, but you're not going to like my plan."

* * *

Katara took her time walking the winding corridors back to the room she and her companions had been dispensed. Honestly she was a little lost too. She had been so caught up in her own mind that she had forgotten which way she came from and where she was supposed to go. These halls all looked the same anyway.

It didn't take long before she found herself standing outside. After pondering a few seconds she figured it was the rear deck. The waterbender rolled her eyes at her own brilliance. The fact that half the deck was missing was sort of a dead give away. Supposedly she couldn't be to upset with her own lack of concentration. The picture of a certain prince viewing himself in a mirror with a shameful expression was imprinted into her mind, and disturbed her a great deal. He was just so hard to get.

One minute he would be hunting Aang with all the ferocity he could muster, and the next he would help them rescue him. And if that wasn't confusing enough, he also saved her from his own shipmates, went hunting with Sokka, and then, suddenly he went go back to his own grumpy self and told them to get away from him.

Katara grabbed he railing and leaned against it, supporting her weight with her hands. She had actually liked being around him. Not when he was _him,_ but when he was wearing the blue mask. When he was Kodan. The waterbender sighed. She couldn't believe she had liked being around him. And not only that. She had actually _liked _him. She had seen a side of him that she felt was more _'Zuko'_ than any she had seen before. That was possibly a weird thing to say, when in fact, she didn't know the fire prince at all. But something she had seen, something he had showed her, was genuine. You couldn't fake that sort of thing.

The picture of Zuko in the mirror flashed through her mind again. He had looked so hurt, sad and... lonly. And the look on his face when he noticed her presence. Katara felt a stinging feeling in her chest when she imagined the shame and pain she supposed went hand in hand with his terrified expression. He really was a hard nut to crack, and while she was sick and tired of the whole subject, a small part of her was curious. She knew there was an explanation somewhere, and she knew there was more to Zuko than what you could see at first glance. General Iroh had even implied that there really was a story to it. All she had to do was ask Zuko. Katara smiled at herself and nearly laughed out loud.

"Yeah, ask Zuko."

The water tribe girl giggled a little and turned her back to the railing. She probably should get back to the others. If they had to leave early the next morning, Katara would make sure she got a few hours sleep first. The bender yawned and started making her way back to the room where Sokka and Aang would be waiting for her.

This time she had no problems finding the room. Voices sounding down the corridors made it easy for her to find her way. As she neared, the voices grew louder, and she could see the yellow light from several candles shining through a crack in the door. It bathed parts of the hallway in a dim light. As the waterbender closed in on the door, she heard the rumbling of Iroh's authoritative voice as he finished a sentence. She slid the door open and all heads turned towards her. Iroh was apparently surprised but smiled at her politely the minute he recognized the intruder. Zuko was scowling at her with malice in his eyes and she couldn't understand why. She had however no time to dwell on it any longer as Sokka and Aang's serious faces caught her immediate attention. The waterbender rushed over to the bed where her companions were seated.

"What is going on?"

* * *

Okay, now _I_ will hurry up writing the next one and _you_ can review;) 


	12. Departure

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar the last airbender or anything else that has to do with it.. **Loved "The awakening"..next episode please!;)

Wren Sharpbeak: Again thank you for your reviews! They are always so constructive and helpful. I really appreciate it:)

Soupcan: Katara's thoughts are sometimes hard to get right.. at least for me:) I'm glad you liked it!

razzledazzle41191:I'll keep twisting my plots;)

Shadowsole: Wee!! A new reviewer! Welcome, and thanks:)

taffy0823: I haven't skipped anything this time, more repeated myself actually..hmm...anyways:).. Enjoy!

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"What is going on?" Katara felt she had to ask again, since the startled looks on her friends faces didn't explain much. 

Iroh sent her a compassionate look and grabbed Zuko by the shoulder. "One must know one's visiting hour my boy." Then he turned towards Aang. "We'll leave you three to yourselves for a while. You have a lot to talk about." The general winked at them before he and the fire prince turned and walked out of the room.  
As they did, Zuko turned his head halfway and watched the three of them out of the corner of his eye. The girl obviously hadn't told the others anything yet. He reckoned he would have noticed if she had, but the firebender was certain she would the minute they were left alone, and he dreaded the very thing. The door closed behind them and he followed his uncle reluctantly back to his quarter.

Katara waited patiently for an answer, eyes shifting from Aang to Sokka, and back to Aang again. She forced a gentle smile, trying to hide the fact that she was terrified by seeing her companions in such a serious state.

"Aang..." she started. Aang, who appeared to be in deep thoughts, seemed to snap out of some sort of trance by the mentioning of his name. His gentle, gray eyes watched her attentively, like when you're looking for the best way to break bad news to someone. Katara returned his look, with as much comfort and understanding as possible, while she waited to be enlightened.

Aang sighed. "Katara. I think our trip to the earth kingdom might have to wait a little longer." The waterbender furrowed her brows in question.

"Iroh just brought us some disturbing news." Katara waited in silence for him to continue. Normally Aang was such a happy and careless kid, but when he spoke like this she knew he had to be taken seriously. It was at times like this the Avatar in him came out, and Katara had sworn to help her friend, no matter what.

"Azula has taken something from Iroh, that in the hands of the fire lord could mean the end to the Avatar." He paused and worry filled his eyes when he added a last word. "Forever". Katara felt the same worry, but there was not a doubt in her mind as she took his hands and looked into his eyes.

"Then we have to get it back, Aang. And we will."  
The waterbender smiled a genuine smile, full of comfort and reassurance . She loved her friend for his selflessness. He didn't worry for himself, only for the fact that the avatar could be lost forever. Therefor _she_ had to worry about him, and right now, that meant being his rock. Of course, she had a lot of questions about the conversation with Iroh, but that could wait. Katara knew that right now, she had to be there for her friend. She had to comfort him, and let him know that things were going to be alright. They would have enough time for questions later.

"So, what is the plan? When do we leave?"

Sokka grunted from the end of the cot. "Aren't you even the least curious as to what the catch is?" He flung his arms out, emphasizing his words. "You know there is _always_ a catch, don't you?"

Katara raised a brow at her brother. Typical Sokka. After all, he was the complaining one. "Okay Sokka, tell me. What is the catch?" She wore a semi- mocking expression, which she often wore when he acted like this. Except this time she was in for a surprise.

Sokka knew what she was getting at, but he was also aware that this time there actually was a catch, and not just him complaining. He put his hands to his sides and returned her challenge. "Zuko is coming with us!"

Katara's jaw literally dropped at her brother's words. "What do you mean; _'Zuko is coming with us'_?" She snapped her head towards Aang who looked more than a little afraid.

"We- ell.. Iroh thought we could need someone with us that knew the fire nation and the palace -and five people would be sort of heavy for Appa in the long run- and Zuko is very good at this stealth thing.."  
He rushed through the reasons with an apologetic smile on his face. Katara didn't know what to say. She knew he was right. The reasons he was mentioning was... –well, reasonable. And she also knew that Aang would never suggest such a thing himself.

However, while traveling with Zuko would have been displeasing a day earlier, It would be unbearably uncomfortable after the little incident in front of his mirror a little earlier. Katara exchanged looks with her brother who grunted another time and turned to scowl at his feet, obviously discontented. The waterbender smiled bravely at the gray eyes awaiting her approval.

"Okay Aang. We'll figure it out." She sat down next to him and flung a arm around his shoulder. "We'll cope with the angry jerk for a while if we have to." She smiled a sincere smile, and even Sokka turned towards them with an amused expression, due to his sister using his phrase while mentioning the fire prince. Katara was glad he seemed in a better mood. This new alliance wouldn't be easy.  
One thing was having Zuko cramped up in the saddle with them. Another was the fact that they were going after some delicate piece of information, and while the fire prince obviously didn't have much affection for his sister, the waterbender didn't feel confident that he could be completely trusted either. Katara was not one to judge, and she couldn't get herself to brake the mood again, but made a silent promise to keep her eyes open. She smiled at her brother and the airbender again.

"What do you say we get some sleep? We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

* * *

The morning dew covered the fire navy ship in a veil of tiny drops as the sun crept above the horizon. The three children walked out on deck, still stretching their limbs and yawning. Sokka tagged along at the end, looking half asleep, but he too awoke quickly as he stepped into the fresh morning air. All three were slightly surprised to see both firebenders out on deck, facing the morning sun, meditating. Katara recalled Zuko's words during their last fight; "I rise with the sun," and figured it wasn't such a surprise that they were up already after all. Iroh got to his feet with surprisingly more graze than you would have imagined, and finished his meditating with some breathing exercises before he turned to the three of them, a warm smile gracing his features. 

"I see you are all awake. What do you say we head to the galley and finds something to fill our stomachs with?" At this his nephew snapped his head around and sent him a unmistakable look of dislike. Iroh cleared his throat and set his shoulders while he beheld Zuko out of the corner of his eye. "-While we discuss tactics, of course." the general tucked his hands inside his sleeves and you could see he struggled hard to keep his face serious.

Sokka rarely missed an opportunity to feat and beamed at Iroh in enthusiasm. "I agree! We haven't discussed whether we should be cautious -or head straight for the main course- so to speak!" The warrior winked at the general and together they made their way back inside the ship.

Aang sighed and turned to Katara with a knowing look. "I guess I better follow them and make sure the tactics get mentioned at all." The airbender rushed inside and Katara smiled as she watched the three of them disappear into the darkness of the ship.

Zuko still had his back turned to her and she eyed it carefully before deciding to reach out to him one more time. After all, they would be traveling together for a while, why not try to make the best of it?

She took a few steps towards him and stood pondering for a second. She was close enough to touch him now. If she wanted to, she could just reach out and touch him. Normally she wouldn't even think twice about such a thing, but it was different with Zuko. He was distant and closed. He had built a fortress of walls around himself, and Katara didn't know if she was supposed to break them down.

"Zuko, I..." her voice trailed off. She didn't know exactly what to say. To be honest she didn't even know what she wanted to say, but she felt she had to say something. The fire prince sat motionless. He hadn't even flinched by the sound of her voice. Katara pondered over the possibility of him ignoring her before she swallowed and tried again.

"I just wanted to say that I never meant to embarrass you, I just..." Zuko turned around, his face as plain and expressionless as a rock. When he opened his mouth to speak, his voice was cold, low and dangerous.

"_You_, embarrass _me_? A lowly _peasant_ like yourself?" he left the question hanging. He was good at hiding his emotions, but Katara could see that even though she hadn't meant to hurt or disconcert him, she had done just that.

"Zuko, I just wanted to.." He cut her off again.

"What? You just wanted to wallow in my self pity and broken spirit? You thought you could hurt, or get to me?" He leaned in closer and held her eyes in an intense lock.

"I don't think so."

Although Katara had felt sorry for him, the thought of enjoying someone else's pain was unthinkable to her. And though Zuko might be frightening at times, it had no affect on her temper. She returned his hard gaze and raised her voice an inch.

"That is not what I meant!"

"No, then what did you mean?" Zuko spat back at her. He didn't quite believe what he was saying himself, but he had to say something to keep his shield up. He would rather die before he showed the water wench that her mere presence had put him off guard the night before. Not to mention the embarrassment he had felt. The fire prince was all but ready to fight her. Not only ready actually, but prepared. He had been in encounters with her before, and he had noticed that she never seemed to back down from a fight. A part of him hated it. She was a skillful bender, and the fact that she never backed down reminded him of Azula and her confidence in her own bending. Zuko was certain the waterbender felt pretty confident about her own bending too, although she didn't gloat about it. -And therefore the fire prince had to admire her. Even though he hated to admit it, he had some sort of respect for the peasant. She was strong, brave and kind, and even though he respected and admired her for it, the same reasons made him dislike her more. It could be envy, but Zuko wasn't about to admit that. Too much self-Insight in one day couldn't be good.

The fire prince shook the thoughts out of his head and readied his stance. The bender waited for the girl to make the first move.

Katara watched him with a sense of amusement. Zuko couldn't quite understand it. They were having a fight, weren't they? They had argued at least, and they couldn't seem to agree. In his world, there was only one way to settle this. The waterbender didn't get into her stance as he had expected her to. She just stood there in front of him.

"Well, get ready!" He snarled at the girl. "I have shown you the courtesy of withholding my attack until you made the first move. I'll only be patient for so long." He lowered his voice in a threatening matter, filled to the brim with anger. Katara gave him a funny look, like she had smelt something bad. Then she did the unthinkable. The waterbender grinned at him and started laughing. Zuko's face screwed into a ugly expression. How dared she laugh at him like that? The waterbender obviously caught his reaction, because she hurriedly covered her mouth and chocked her laughter. Her face, however, was still amused and happy when she spoke.

"I'm sorry Zuko." She smiled with apologetic eyes, "It's just that, here we are going to travel together for who knows how long, and we were about to kill eachother before the trip even started." She left it hanging for a few seconds, and when Zuko didn't reply she started laughing again.

"It's just too stupid!" She sighed and shook her head. "I'm going inside to check on the others." With that she turned and left Zuko alone out on deck, shocked, confused, and tired.

* * *

When Zuko returned to meet up with the others, Iroh and Sokka had finished their breakfast. They were currently going through the last details of their intrusion in to the fire nation. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but there was a lot of nodding and excited arm gestures from both of them, and it seemed like they had agreed on the best way to proceed. 

Aang and Katara were running all over the room, packing their backpacks, and making sure they didn't leave anything important behind. Zuko walked over to a corner and leaned against the wall. His things were already packed. After all, he had been up since before sunrise, and his upbringing had taught him to be systematic and disciplined. He knew exactly where his belongings were, and what he would need for the trip. He had even calculated how long it would take, assuming they didn't run into anything unexpected.

The fire prince closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. This would be a true test to his temper. He almost lost his sanity the last time he was alone with the avatar's friends, and now he would travel with the reason to his continuing banishment as well. If his uncle hadn't asked him to do this for him, Zuko never would have agreed. But the young prince knew he owed his uncle, and besides, he wasn't one to back out of something he knew was expected of him.

Zuko opened his eyes again and watched his travel companions. They seemed to have found their place in the group. Fine, they were a bit unorganized, but there was some potential there. With a little structure he just might survive this after all.

"You could help, you know!" The prince snapped out of his trail of thoughts and stared straight into a pair of blue eyes glaring at him from across the room. Sokka's outburst had caught everyone's attention. Katara and Aang stopped in their tracks, looking curiously from the bender to the warrior, not knowing what to expect.

Iroh, on the other hand, knew exactly what to expect, and shook his head as he sighed dejectingly.

"I don't care who you are to the fire nation. Here you still have to do your part of the dirty work." Zuko's eyes narrowed into slits as he walked across the floor, stopping in front of Sokka. He didn't bend down to face him as he spoke, but rather straightened his back, forcing the warrior to raise his head to look at him.

"Give me one good reason I should help you do anything!" The fire prince had to concentrate to keep his voice from trembling in anger as he spoke. He had already packed his things. There was no way he was going to use any of their stuff anyway. Why should he help them pack all their useless things?

"Because we are doing you all a big favor, that's why!" Sokka got to his feet as well, staring the prince straight in the eye. Out of the corner of his eye he could see general Iroh making alarming gestures, but he didn't care. He was to angry and upset to let that stop him. He had been furious with Zuko since he tricked them into taking him with them, in what he could only see as an attempt to capture Aang. Since then he had been all but looking for an excuse to tell the "_prince_" what he thought of him.

"It's not like we chose to bring you with us!"

Zuko clenched his teeth together trying to control himself, with no luck. Smoke started erupting from his closed fists and he could feel his blood, hot with rage, rushing through his veins.

The firebender leaned in on his opponent and lowered his voice to a growl.

"And you think I volunteered to go on a mission that includes stealing from my father in the company of a bald monk, a nosy waterbender,.." Zuko took a step backwards in disgust. "..and _you_?"

"Hey. I am _not_ nosy!" Katara shot in, hands at her hips, looking rather huffed.

"Do you mind?" Sokka glared accusingly at his younger sister. "I'm trying to pick a fight here!" He added in a tone as to day "duh". Katara opened her mouth to answer him when Zuko cut her off, compleatly ignoring what Sokka just said.

"No, really? Then what were you doing _nosing_ around in my chamber last night?" Katara made another attempt to reply but was cut off again.

"What?!?" Sokka turned away from Zuko, so he could better scowl at his sister. "You were _what_?!"

Katara watched the two boys in front of her. Arms crossed, scowling at her they seemed somewhat similar. She figured they had momentarily forgotten that they were fighting, now that they had a mutual person to direct their anger at.

Aang, who had been standing on the sideline with Iroh jumped in the middle. "Wow,wow.. Easy guys. I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation to all this." The airbender glanced pleadingly at Katara, silently begging her to come with an explanation that would be acceptable to both boys. However, one look at Katara told him things wouldn't go that smoothly.

"I don't believe you Sokka! Yeah, I was in Zuko's room so that I could snoop around in his things, because I have such a _huge_ crush on him!" The waterbender rolled her eyes at her brother and turned away, clearly upset, while she mumbled a barely audible "please" to herself.

Sokka pointed his finger at his sister and opened his mouth, ready to give her a lecture, but he was out of words. Instead he turned on his heal and stormed out of the room.

Zuko suddenly didn't know whether to feel angry or embarrassed and did the only thing thinkable to him, and stormed out as well.

Katara waited until the two of them left the room before her eyes found Aang and Iroh, trying to get some sympathy. All that met her were curious looks and she knew they were wondering what she had been doing in Zuko's chamber as well.

"Arrgh!" she growled in anger and rushed out after the others.

Aang and Iroh was left dumbstruck behind, neither knowing what to say.

After a awhile Iroh walked over to place a hand on Aang's shoulder. The general seemed to be looking at something beyond the metal walls of the ship. Aang followed his gaze until they both stood studying the smooth wall. Iroh cleared his throat.

"A wise man once said; A clever person turns great troubles into little ones and little ones into none at all." The general smiled and gave Aang a pat on the back.

"Aang, I hope you are a clever person."

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Please review my friends:) I promise to answer all your reviews.. I did a little soulsearching and decided it wasn't fair for me to ask you to review and then not reply:) 

Bye for now, from a new and improved me!


	13. Yakuru

Disclaimer: I do not own avatar the last airbender or any of the characters.

Hi everyone. This chapter has taken me awhile to write, and I apologize for keeping you waiting;) I just have some troubles writing when the new episodes are running but be patient with me, and I'll try to pull myself together:)

Anyway, here is the next chapter. Hope you'll enjoy it!

* * *

"Yip, yip!" Aang exclaimed and gave the reins attached to Appa's horns a flick. He felt a heavy pressure to his shoulders and upper body as the gravity claimed his body as the great bison kicked off and accelerated to wards the sky. Aang took the reins in his left hand and turned to wave at the slowly diminishing Iroh, waving at them from the deck of the fire navy ship.

Momo, who had been sitting on his shoulder, now leaped to his head and bent down over his face, as to look at Aang up- side-down. "Off we go buddy!" Aang laughed and raised his hand to pet the lemur with his index finger.

Zuko, Katara and Sokka were sitting behind him in the saddle, none of them uttered a word. They hadn't quite made up with each other since the quarrel on board the ship, but Aang knew they would come around sooner or later. Besides, he had more important things to focus on at the moment.

Aang shivered when he recalled his last meeting with the fire princess. She scared him in a way no one else had ever scared him before. There was just something menacing about her that made the hairs on his back stand. She was like a taste of what was yet to come, because Aang was certain she had inherited that mean streak from her father. In his reminiscence he could clearly see Azula's smug face as she peered in through his cell door. He remembered what she had told him that day. "My father will burn all in his path. Me however, I have no need for killing. With you on my side people would surrender, and we could end this war in a peaceful matter."

There was no doubt in Aang's mind. He could never have agreed to such a proposal. Never. But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he was doing the right thing Azula's voice somehow seemed to seep through. It covered his thoughts and dreams with a veil of doubt and not a day went by when he didn't think about it. What if he was wrong? What if he failed and the fire nation won the war after all? Then what? Would he manage to live on, knowing that maybe, just maybe he could have saved more people if he had just joined the fire princess in the first place? Aang closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his mind. He wished he could talk to someone about his troubles. He had learned over the years that no matter how hard things were, and how heavy they may lie on his shoulders, it always helped to talk about them. But not this time. This time it wouldn't help. This time he couldn't ask his friends, because he knew what they would say. They would tell him he had done the right thing and that there was nothing else he could have done. But Aang already knew those things for himself, but that hadn't chased away the fear.

The airbender opened his eyes, and there was a resolution in them that hadn't been there a moment ago. He was alone in this. Nothing his friends could say would help. He was the avatar, and though he was a human as well, it meant he was alone. No one knew what it was like, and no one could help share the burden. In the end it was his responsibility. He knew this. It wasn't the first time Aang had felt left out or different.

The airbender turned, causing the lemur sitting on his shoulder to grab hold on his ear to prevent himself from falling off. Aang glanced at his three companions sitting in separate corners of the saddle. Sokka was examining the map, tracing his finger across invisible lines, making surprised expressions now and then. Aang knew him well enough to assume he was going through their schedule, probably making small adjustments here and there. Occasionally the warrior glanced up at his sister. He sat at the right hand side of the saddle, and she was opposite.

Katara seemed to have calmed her temper by now. Not that she spoke to any of them, but every now and then she would let her gaze wander off, casting glances at both Zuko and Sokka, like she was observing them, -waiting for their next move.

Zuko sat at the back of the saddle. Aang realized he didn't know their new companion at all. The firebender was leaning against the saddle, his backpack working as a pillow at his back.

Arms crossed, and his face so plain that he had Aang wondering if the he had muscles in his face at all, the airbender had to accept that he had no idea what the elder boy was thinking. Aang was still watching Zuko when the fire prince raised his gaze and stared the airbender straight in the eyes. For a few seconds they just stared at each other, then Zuko looked away, examining the passing clouds instead.

Aang wondered how long it would take before anyone mentioned the saber tooth -moose -lion in the saddle, and decided to smooth things out a little. He cleared his throat and, luckily, caught the attention of both watertribe children.

"We should probably find a place to gather the last supplies before we enter the firenation, don't you think?" He looked from one of them to the other with hopeful eyes.

Katara smiled warmly at Aang, relieved that someone spoke at last. She couldn't stand the silence that had settled in the group since they left Zuko's ship. It was however Sokka who opened his mouth to answer Aang first.

"I was just thinking the exact same thing. Look." he shuffled closer to Aang, holding the map out in front of both of them. " There's a small island here, only a few miles west of where we are. I was thinking we could make a stop there and get ready for our venture into the heart of the fire nation. "

Aang eyed the map suspiciously and squinted his eyes, trying to read the name of the island.

" Yakuru..." The airbender read it out loud to himself. Tasting the word, trying to bring back the memories attached to the word. "But Sokka, that's in the fire nation!" Katara looked at them with worried eyes, awaiting her brother's reply.

Sokka sighed and looked at Aang. "I know, but it's on the way, and our only chance. The closest earth kingdom town is too far away, in the wrong direction, and we just don't have the time." The warrior rolled up the map and stuck it in his bag. "Besides, it'll give us a chance to practice our blending in with the fire nation. If we are to get all the way inside the fire lord's palace, i don't think we can just take Appa and soar right up to the front gate." Sokka lifted his arms, pretending to fly.

Aang looked a little apprehensive, but nodded and smiled at Sokka.

"Yakuru it is. Appa, yip, yip."

* * *

Appa grunted as they finally landed on firm ground. Aang had steered them to a small patch of grass at the outline of a forest, located on some sort of ledge in the mountain side. There was no houses close by, and plenty of vegetation for Appa to both eat and hide among. Momo had already ventured out into one of the small springs that were seemingly everywhere on this island. The small lemur was obviously enjoying the warm water, as well as the occasional hunt of air bubbles that escaped to the surface.

Zuko was glad he got through a landing with the bison with a little more dignity this time. He had been prepared and managed to stay seated and not fall over this time. He stretched his limbs as he climbed down from the beast's back, happy to be back on land himself. The fire prince let his eyes wander across the landscape of Yakuru. Although this was his own country, he had never been to this particular island before. He had heard of it though. It was well known, in the fire nation, for it's hot springs, as well as the inhabitants peculiar customs and distinctive traditions.

From above, the island looked like a huge crate. Small houses, fields and meadows laid surrounded by sharp peaked mountains, like most mountains within the fire nation. To the south there was a opening in the mountain range, like a trench, that led to the ocean. This was, naturally, the harbor of Yakuru.

From where the group was standing, they had the harbor on their left, and straight ahead, in the valley below, the town spread out in the shape of a star, with trees and woods defining the outline of the settlement. There was a small river running from the mountains to their right, and it twisted and turned it's way alongside the town before it finally met up with the blue sea in the south.

Katara walked up to Zuko, standing beside him, looking out over the town as well. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her squirming a little in her robe, fanning herself with her hand.

"Wow, it's really hot here." She didn't look at him, but kept staring at the town below.

"I know." The waterbender turned her head, an amused smile playing at her lips. The bender next to her didn't seem to be affected by the temperature at all. He was standing like a statue, hands on his back, like she had noticed that fire nation soldiers often did, and not a single bead of sweat was to be seen on his forehead, -which she found unusual, because the temperature on Yakuru was something else. She had never been in such a hot climate before.

"Really? Because I think I'm hotter than you are." Zuko raised an eyebrow and cast her a peculiar glance. Katara had to go over the last sentence in her mind, and blushed at the realization that it could be interpreted in several ways.

"Uhm, I mean.." She was blushing ferociously, and to her own irritation, she didn't know why. She hadn't done anything wrong or embarrassing, not really, and still her cheeks were so red that she could feel her pulse in them. For some reason unknown to her, Zuko sometimes had this affect on her. She didn't know if it was due to his way of expressing himself without actually saying anything, or if it had anything to do with him being a stranger. Never the less, she felt like a stupid little girl, and the way she stumbled over herself trying to explain made her mentally slap herself several times before Zuko cut her off mid sentence.

"Firebenders have a higher tolerance for temperatures. I can feel the heat the same way you do. It just doesn't affect me the same way." His face was the picture of indifference once again, and Katara didn't mind. She was thankful he hadn't seen her blushing and fumbling, or at least pretended he hadn't. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense.." She replied hesitantly, somehow feeling apologetic for not knowing this little piece of information on forehand. The waterbender fell silent and resumed observing the valley down below. The awkward silence that fell between them felt suffocating, and Katara couldn't have felt more relieved than she did when she heard her brother's cry of dismay behind her.

"I'm dying!! She turned and saw her elder sibling stomp around. He walked around with his arms and feet as far a part as they could possibly come in an attempt to avoid making friction between body parts. This made him look very much like a penguin.

Katara smiled and rolled her eyes as the warrior continued his exaggeration.

"So... Hot... Must have... Water.." Sokka was more resembling of what a zombie- penguin would look like, if there was such a thing, and with his eyes half closed he tripped on a stone and flew head first into one of the hot springs.

Aang and Katara burst into laughter as Sokka gulped and struggled in the water. "Looks like you got what you asked for Sokka!" The airbender mocked. The icy look he received from the watertribe boy had Katara cracking up again, and even Zuko's lips were showing the slightest curve at the corner of his mouth.

Sokka managed to crawl out of the pool of water and started wringing the water from his clothes.

"Let's just head into town, okay? I need some dry clothes. Besides, we could all use some disguises."

* * *

As they walked into town Katara could see that her brother's idea that they should get some new clothes was a good one. Not a single person was dressed in neither blue, nor green. Funny enough -except from Zuko- Aang was the one who fitted in the best . In his orange and yellow outfit, he at least wore colors resembling the firenation.

The group trotted the streets, and Sokka kept making loud exclamations when he saw a piece of clothing he liked, walking up to perfect strangers, feeling the fabric of their clothing, only to receive weird looks from passers-by. When a little boy got scared and started running away screaming, the others decided it would be best to find a shop as soon as possible, unless they wanted to attract more attention to themselves.

Katara went into a small shop with women's clothing. She had assured her brother and Aang that she would be fine, searching for an outfit on her own. It would save them some time, since they didn't sell clothes for both women and men in the same shops.

The waterbender strolled along the small and winding streets of Yakuru. The ground was dusty, and Katara imagined they would get pretty muddy when – if ever- the rain came to the island. Except for a few thoroughfares the streets were really small, barely wide enough for three people, and there were like a million of them (at least so it seemed). The roads popped seemingly out of nowhere and after a few minutes Katara was completely lost. She had no idea where she came from or which way she should go, but she didn't feel afraid. The town was pretty small, and she was confident she would be able to find her way back to the others sooner or later. At the moment the waterbender just enjoyed the feel and mood of Yakuru and the excitement of not knowing what would surprise her around the next corner.

As the watertribe girl wandered about, she noticed there was something going on in the town. Several places you could see men on ladders, hanging up banners, and stringing paper lanterns to beams and such. Several children were running about, flying kites, and chasing stray paper strings that had flew off, abducted by the wind. Katara smiled as two small boys ran by, nudging into her in the passing. The waterbender walked into a shop that looked like it had some clothes fitted for a youth her age. The lighting inside the shop was a dim and gloomy one, but to her surprise, Katara saw that the shop were nothing like she had imagined it to be, size –like. From the outside, all the buildings looked like small nooks. Even though some one them had more than one floor, the second floor window made it look like you would have to walk crouched down when in the first floor. On the inside, however, it was quite spacial. It was high under the roof, and the second story window was merely a window placed, a little higher than normal, on the wall. Amused by the buildings conning appearance, the waterbender walked over to one of the walls, looking through the clothes hanging there. After a few minutes she settled on a loose silk pant and a nice top to go with it. Katara walked over to the counter and gave the woman behind it the money for her new clothes.

"Is there somewhere I can change?" She asked the woman. The shopkeeper hesitated for a second before she beckoned Katara to come behind the counter. The woman opened the curtain behind her, revealing a backroom. "I'm not supposed to do this, but a pretty young girl like you has to look her best for this evening." She winked at Katara as she closed the curtain again, giving the waterbender privacy to change.

"What is happening tonight?" Katara asked as she walked out from behind the counter. The woman overheard her at first, nodding approvingly at Katara's outfit and eying her up and down. Then she turned her golden gaze to wards Katara's blue eyes and smiled. "You don't know? I thought that was why you were here?" The waterbender smiled unknowingly back at her and waited for the lady to continue.

"Today is the most important day of the year for us. People used to come from all over the world to celebrate this day and take part in the festivities." "That was before, of course." The woman muttered to herself before continuing the story. "Almost a hundred years ago, this island was built up by high mountains, like the ones surrounding our village. Then the comet came." The woman gave Katara a meaningful look. "That is why the island looks like a huge crate." "One man, Yakuru, was out to sea when that happened. From a far, far away, he could see his home being destroyed. He traveled day and night until he arrived at the crate of the island which once held such proud mountains. He had been away for so long, that he could not know if the village had been prepared for the impact and if his true love had managed to get away. Yakuru searched the crate all day, and wept at night, mourning the loss of his loved one." The light in the shop seemed to have grown dimmer, and the woman's smooth and deep voice only added to the anticipation. "Yakuru had to realize that life as he knew it was gone. He packed his things, and after nine day of searching he was ready to leave this island forever. The legend has it that he woke up in the middle of the night and found himself surrounded by several glowing lanterns, hanging in mid air. Yakuru got up, and as the fearless man he was, he tried to approach the light sources to examine them. The flickering lights moved away, and for every step he took to wards the, they fled a step in another direction. Yakuru was intrigued by this, and ended up following the lights for hours and hours. Sometimes trying to catch them, others just walking behind them, enjoying to have some sort of company at last. The lanterns led the man far into the mountain, to places where he had never traveled before. Just before dawn, the lights suddenly disappeared. The man hadn't imagined how much light they had provided and found himself to be in complete darkness. Yakuru decided to wait 'till dawn, and then make his way back in daylight. Patiently he waited for the light, and when it came, he found himself to be on a slope, and just beneath it was the entire village he had left so many years ago." The woman broke into a smile and winked. "Including his one true love." "Some says it was the spirits that led him, and some doesn't even believe the story, but none the less, since that day we have celebrated the lanterns and their wisdom." The lady eyed Katara up and down and smiled knowingly. "You should go to the town square tonight at sundown. Traditions are made to be followed." Katara watched the woman's back as she went behind the counter and in to the backroom before she turned and walked back into the swarming streets.

* * *

A/N: I know this is not a very exciting chapter, but it is still necessary if the upcoming chapter is going to make any sence at all.

As for not describing the groups new outfits; I found that the best solution now that the have gotten new clothes in the original series as well. We can imagine them with their real clothes instead. At least that's what I prefer to do!:)

R&R:)


	14. The festival

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters etc etc..

Hi everyone! I realise it has been a while since the last time I added a chapter. All that is going to change now:)

I will not keep you any longer, here is the next chapter;

**The festival.**

* * *

"There she is!" Aang exclaimed with great enthusiasm. His new outfit wasn't half bad, and he loved being able to walk among people without having to be afraid of the fire nation discovering who he was. At least now he fitted in with the rest of the crowd.

"Do you know there is a festival today?" Katara had to smile at the sight of the beaming airbender. She knew he loved festivals –and any other excuse to have fun. Not that she was any better herself. Besides, she was very curious about what the lady in the shop had been talking about earlier.

"I know! There is something happening in the town square at sundown tonight." Aang's eyes lit up with anticipation.

"Hey, you all found new clothes!" Katara eyed her friends from head to toe. Even Zuko had a new outfit.

"Yeah!" Aang nodded towards the two boys beside him. "Sokka even got himself a new bag." Katara looked at her brother as he proudly held up his new accessory. "I'm starting to like the fire nation. Their clothes makes me feel manly." Zuko let out a small grunt at this, but Sokka managed to pretend he didn't notice.

"So, do you know what this thing at sundown is all about?" Katara directed her question at Zuko. It was still an adaptation to travel with the prince of the fire nation but she figured they had to make the best of it. And she was determined to find that good part of him that she knew was somewhere in there. Iroh was convinced his nephew had a good heart, and he didn't seem like a man who made too many mistakes.

With that in mind the water bender made an effort to include Zuko in as many things –and conversations- as possible. And now, as always, he seemed as uncomfortable as a fish on land. He watched Katara with little interest and muttered a silent "no". Sokka scowled at him. It didn't take long before the fire prince noticed and returned the warrior's gaze. "What are you looking at?" he growled. Katara felt uneasy at the anger in his voice, but it didn't look like Zuko had the same effect on her brother.

"The least you could do is to answer her properly." Sokka frowned and stared at the fire bender.

Katara had expected this day would come but had been hoping they could have avoided it for the time being. Sokka still had his issues with Zuko and she couldn't say she totally disagreed with him. On the other hand, Zuko obviously had his struggles, and he didn't seem like the type who would apologize for his flaws, and Katara was certain that accusing remarks like the ones Sokka was throwing at him right now definitely wouldn't make things better.

Zuko clenched his fists, and Katara grabbed Aang's shoulder as she backed out of the line of fire, literally speaking.

"You have been acting like the spoiled angry jerk that you are since day one! I know you don't want to be here, but guess what; neither do we! As your travel buddies, the least you could do is show us some respect! Or doesn't they teach you that in the fire nation?!"

Zuko could feel his eyes shrew open in anger. He hated how he sometimes lost control over his body, but right now he didn't care. His vision was blurring with the heat rising within him, and he could hear the pounding of his heart so loud that it blocked out any other sound around him. For some reason, this strange water tribe boy knew exactly which buttons to push.

"But what could we expect from a soiled prince like yourself? You have probably always had what you needed, and are used to treating people like dirt." Sokka was wearing that serious expression which he rarely wore. In fact, Katara guessed the last time had to be when Yue had left for the spirit world. He brother always surprised her at these times, and she often fell in awe at how well he could balance reason and maturity on one side, with whining and "goofiness" on the other. This time however, Zuko was without a doubt the one who surprised her the most. He had looked like he was about to explode, but something had changed in him. Instead of answering Sokka, or shooting fire at him, the fire bender turned his back to them, and without a word he walked off into the crowd of red that surrounded them.

For a second Sokka looked just as surprised as Katara felt, then his expression softened in indifference.

"Never mind him. We're better off without him anyway!" Sokka shrugged his shoulders and started to walk the other way, down the main street, to the town square. Katara cast a worried look over her shoulder. She couldn't help but care. He had no friends, and they were in a strange town. The water bender felt confident that he wasn't having much fun at the moment. Besides, he seemed so troubled.

Aang saw Katara's reaction and knew how she felt. Still a small part of him couldn't help feeling a little angry at the fact that she seemed to care about what happened to Zuko. Zuko was older, a great bender, good looking –aside from his scar- and a prince. Aang knew it was ridiculous of him to think that way, since Katara didn't seem to care more for Zuko than for any other person, but this gnawing feeling of jealousy had made a room for itself deep down in his stomach, and he couldn't seem to shake the feeling. If it was because there had always been just the three of them, and now they had to make room for one more person, or something else, Aang couldn't tell. But right now they were at this exciting new island with a festival going on, and the kid inside the Avatar wanted to enjoy every minute of it. "He'll be fine. We'll catch up with him later. He probably needs some time to cool off." The air bender smiled in what he meant to be a careless way. Katara returned his smile and caught his hand. "You're probably right! Let's see what this festival is all about." And together they ran down the street to catch up with Sokka.

* * *

The lights surrounding the center of the little town was overwhelming. The darkness of night fell in such a contrast to the bright light that it was hard to make out any of the people standing in the small square. It was chill now, and Katara rubbed her upper arms, gently embracing herself, as she followed Aang to the center of the crowd. The whole town, which had seemed so cheerful and warm earlier, had a mystical and fleeting air to it. The air had grown so chill that you could see your own breath, and Katara made a silent wish that she had bought a coat earlier, while she had the opportunity.

Somewhere ahead a tall figure was rising from the crowd and in an instant the whole population of Yakuru fell silent. Katara had troubles seeing the man clearly, but he was obviously standing on some form of stage a few meters up ahead. When he spoke, his voice was deep and rumbling, like it filled the entire town and echoed off the surrounding walls.

"My fellow inhabitants of Yakuru, and guests." He started, tipping his hat in a welcoming gesture. "As many of you know, today is the day when we celebrate the founding of this great city and island as we know it today, the bravery of a man, and the spirits of the lanterns." An acknowledging buzz went through the crowd, and the speaker held his tongue until everyone had quieted down again. "As it is custom, we will honor the help the spirits provided for Yakuru so many years ago." The man stopped to watch the listeners intently. When he continued his voice held even more volume than before.

"When he was in need of company; they provided him with it." The crowd cheered.

" When he lost his path, they showed it to him." The crowd cheered again.

"When he no longer had hope, they gave it to him." The crowd cheered even louder, and by now, Aang, Katara and Sokka had joined in as well.

"And when he was drenched of all that he cared for and loved.." The man bent forward like he was about to tell them all a great secret and smiled.

"- They turned on the lights!"

The entire town exploded in sounds. People were screaming, clapping and whistling as the man watched them, a pleased expression on his face. "Like before, the lanterns will provide guidance to those who need it, whatever their reasons may be." He raised his hands to the sky, like he was waiting for something to drop out of the sky, and suddenly the light surrounding them seemed to grow even more intense. "Let the festival begin!" the man bellowed, and once again the crowd exploded into cheers. Katara felt affected by their joy, but didn't really know what to do. This was obviously a very important festival that meant a lot to the town, but she couldn't quite figure out what was going to happen next. As she stood there half excited, half confused, people seemed to scatter.

Suddenly the crowd was gone, leaving the shops, magicians and musicians visible to the naked eye. All of a sudden, a thick fog rolled down from the mountain. It seemed to float down the hillsides, finally engulfing the town in a unearthly mist.

Once again, their view was obscured, and Katara felt even more cold than before. She rubbed her arms, which was now moist by the dimness surrounding them. The water bender moved closer to her friends.

"Where did everyone go?" Aang's eyes reflected her worry and confusion. Only a minute earlier the whole square had been filled with cheerful people, and all of a sudden they were the only ones there. Aang was just about to give her an answer when something struck him in the back, sending him scrambling forward.

"Ouch!" The airbender exclaimed and turned around to see what had hit him. Behind him stood a young boy, no more than perhaps eight years of age, shaking his head at the surprising percussion.

""Are you alright?" Katara asked with concern in her voice. The kid standing there seemed absolutely confounded by the fact that he had bumped into them.

"What are you all doing here!?" He shouted in disbelief. "What do you mean?" Aang responded, confused.

The boy glared at the three strangers until he saw their looks of obliviousness. Then he uttered a resigned sigh and gave them a meaningful look. "You are supposed to follow the lanterns. That's why we are here!" The boy flung out his arms, emphasizing that they were the only ones left in the town square.

"Follow the lanterns? Well where do they lead?" Sokka shot in suspiciously. The boy smiled a sympathetic smile, like he held some secret they didn't know. "That depends, now, doesn't it?" Even more confused by his answer the group stood motionless, staring at the boy. Suddenly he started laughing and grabbed Katara's hand as he ran past her. "Follow me!"

Katara was yanked back by his force and had no choice but to keep up. Behind her, she could hear her brother and Aang running as well. The boy continued laughing and pulled the water bender along. The fog was really thick now, and she no longer had any idea of where they were. Up ahead she could see the faint flicker of a light, and as they drew closer the boy suddenly let go of her hand. In reflex, Katara turned to look for her friends, but they were nowhere to be seen. The water bender whirled around again and shouted after the boy. "Hey, wait up!" She could no longer see him, but heard his thrilling laugh as it disappeared into the distance. Not knowing where she was, or what to do, she hurried after him. After all, he was a small kid. How fast could he possibly be running?

* * *

Zuko had stopped caring or noticing where he was going since he had listened and discovered that he could no longer hear any of the sounds that emerged from the town of Yakuru. His first intention had been to find his way back to the enormous beast and the annoying lemur. He didn't care much for either of them, but at least they didn't talk or bother him with accusing looks. He was furious, no doubt about it, but he wasn't foolish. He had made a promise to his uncle, and it would be an utmost disgrace if he were to go back on his word. He would travel with the avatar and his friends to the fire nation, but that didn't mean he would spend his every waking minute by their side. Not that any of it mattered at the minute. As much as he hated to admit it; he was fully, completely and one hundred percent lost. The only thing he knew was that he was still on the island, and as far away from the sorry excuse of a warrior as he could get. Zuko was satisfied with that, for now. He didn't know for how long he had been walking, but there were trees around him, so he figured he had to be in the woods surrounding the valley. That alone meant he was pretty far off, but the fire prince didn't care.

Zuko had been insulted in worse ways than that of the water tribe peasant a few hours earlier, but still, his words stung like a humming bee sting. It reminded him to much of Azula and her evil games, which consisted of pushing him towards the edge, just to see how far she could go before he exploded. And the thing he hated the most about it was that the boy didn't know the first thing about him – and that not one of the things he had said were true. They weren't true because he was not a spoiled prince, and they definitely taught you respect in the fire nation. _I learned that the hard way_, he thought bitterly. But he had realized something earlier that day, and that was that no matter how his life was, or what his father had done to him, the water tribe warrior had described Zuko the way everyone thought he was. It didn't matter what he did, because people would always see a spoiled and selfish prince when they looked at him, and Zuko couldn't decide if it hurt or angered him – or maybe both.

Suddenly Zuko felt tired, so very tired. He was tired of thinking, tired of being angry, tired of trying to please his father, tired of struggling with his own decisions. He was tired of life.

Coming to a halt, the fire bender leaned his back heavily against a nearby tree and slid to the ground. He tilted his head backwards and stared up at the stars. Wanting to drain his mind of all his troubling thoughts, he allowed himself to get lost in the myriads of twinkling stars staring down at him from the black emptiness of the evening sky.

Out of the corner of his eye, the prince could see a faint flicker of light. In a second he had forgot all about the stars and the different thoughts in his own head. If Zuko had learned one thing over the years, it was that you could never let your guard down. That meant you had to be prepared for an encounter with your enemies everywhere, even in the depth of a forest in the middle of the night.

The fire prince jumped up from his sitting position. In a split second he was ready to strike, standing in what was considered a very offensive firebending form. His uncle's words rang in his mind. _"Sometimes offense is the best defense"._

"Who is out there?" Zuko hated the fact that his voice held a hint of nervousness. The prince couldn't see anything except for the faint light flickering from behind the tree trunks. Focusing his eyes he searched for the outline of the person holding the light, but with no luck.

"Show yourself!" Zuko felt his temper rise as he watched the steady flicker of light a few yards away. It just hovered in the air, and the person holding it showed no signs of neither approaching nor moving away from him.

Zuko was in no mood for playing games and fired a steady stream of yellow fire towards the light. It was a pretty harmless shot actually, and wouldn't cause the stranger any harm, except that he would have to move out of the range of fire. To late he realized that the stranger in the forest planned on doing no such thing. Zuko's own fire seemed to engulf the light before it died off, and all that was left was the same, calm twinkle of a light among the trees. The prince's anger had been replaced with annoyance and a bit of curiosity. He took a few steps towards the end of the small glade he was in and called out again.

"Who is out there?" He didn't really expect a reply, and he certainly didn't get one. This is getting pretty old, Zuko thought to himself and took a few steps more, just so he could get close enough to get a look at the person taunting him.

It was a strange thing, because Zuko was sure he would have known it if the person behind the light was moving away. He could have sworn the light was being held completely still. Yet he couldn't get closer no matter how many steps he took towards the stranger.

* * *

"This is getting pretty old" the fire prince thought to himself. He had been following the stupid person with the stupid light for almost twenty stupid minutes, and was getting sick and tired of not being able to catch him.

Zuko had tried everything; running at him, jumping at him, surprise attacks, climbing trees, -everything. But still, he hadn't been able to close the distance by even an inch. It was almost like there was a magnetic field around him, and whenever he moved, he pushed the stranger holding the light further away.

After a while the fire prince had reconciled with the fact that he couldn't get his way, and settled into a steady pace, following the light through the trees. Zuko sighed and let his eyes wander the ground. He didn't even know why he was here, wandering the forest, being guided by a strange light-source. It was so unlike him. Yet, he was here, and in a way he found some comfort in the unexpected company. He had even stopped caring where they were going. Normally Zuko would have aimed out a direction and then held on to it. Sooner or later he would have managed to get out of the forest, and then find his way back to camp. This time however, he was following some stranger with a lantern. For all he knew it could be an enemy. And they were definitely not following a straight course.

Suddenly a thick fog seemed to engulf Zuko and everything around him. The prince stopped in amazement -and to his pleasure this time- so did the light. Where did this fog come from? The prince had never seen anything like it before.

The fire bender realised that the light was moving again. Zuko considered his options for a split second before he followed the lantern into the blinding fog.

* * *

Katara had long lost track of the little boy. After following his laughter into the forest she had completely lost track of everything. The laughter had sounded like it came from everywhere and the water bender had finally accepted the fact that she had no idea where she was. The fog was still so thick that you could barely see your own feet, and Katara found that not being able to see was a terrifying feeling. Several times she had tried to bend it away, but it just kept coming. Finally she had given up. There was something outer- worldly with this fog, she muttered. And her thoughts went to Aang. She couldn't think of another person she wanted by her side more at the moment –except maybe her dad. After all, Aang was the Avatar, and if there was something connecting the fog to the spirit-world, who better to have by your side than the Avatar? Katara tried to answer her own question in an attempt to calm her self down by thinking of something else, when she heard a whisper through the fog.

The water bender froze and listened. Nothing. _What was that?_ Katara crouched into a bending position. She called her element and felt herself extend into all the small water molecules in the for surrounding her. A smirk formed at her lips. She might be alone and weaker than her opponent, but unless there was another water bender in these forests she had a clear advantage.

Katara held her pose in complete silence and concentration when she heard a branch crack. In one swift motion she formed the water whip she knew so well and waited.

There it was again. She turned her foot towards the sound and heightened her concentration.

Suddenly a new feeling struck her. If it was the thickness of the fog, or the fact that she had no other sense of sight than her bending, she couldn't tell. But she suddenly had a strange feeling of awareness. It was hard to explain, but in a way she could feel someone approaching through the fog.

Shaking her confusion away, Katara gave in to the feeling, and a whole new world unraveled. It was like a light came on. The fog was filled withe Katara's element, and she had connected with it in a whole new way. By using the fog as an extension of her self she could see – or feel- everything around her. The ground, the trees, every root, leaf, or straw of grass, and the person approaching her. Katara let out a yelp of surprise and excitement, then the fog disappeared, and the world turned pitch black.

In the corner of her eye the waterbender could see a small flicker of a light.

* * *

Aang couldn't tell for how long he had been running. He and Sokka had followed Katara as best they could, but the fog had gotten to thick. Soon after Sokka had disappeared too. The air bender wasn't really scared, nor worried. They were at an island, no one knew they were there, and after all – it was a festival. And besides, the whole city had disappeared, so most likely, everything was as it should be.

Never the less, Aang didn't like being separated with his friends. They had been through so much together, and experience had shown that they were always stronger together.

Aang sighed as he continued to feel his way through the trees and embraced himself in an attempt to keep warm. Now would be a great time to master fire bending, he thought as the fog clung to his clothes, leaving him damp and chilled. Suddenly Aang felt tired. Tried and lost. What was this stupid festival for anyway? The man in the square had given them a speech of how the spirits had helped Yakuru, showing him the path, giving him hope, guiding him. "I'm totally of track and there is certainly no one guiding me." He said out loud. As suspected the fog gave him no reply. A rush of anger came over Aang. He didn't want to be out in the cold and dark forest anymore. "Do you hear me!?" He shouted at no one and everyone at the same time. "Hello!? Spirits! A little guiding would be good right about now!"

Nothing.

"Fine, I'll just find the town myself. No problem. I'm already doing so great." he muttered as he kept walking. The Avatar couldn't really understand what s happening. He considered himself a positive person, and he was generally in a good mood. This time however, everything felt so hopeless. Aang stopped and stared into the air. When he thought about it, it had been a long time since he had been alone with his thoughts. The group had traveled and live don top of each other for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to be alone. The air bender realized that he was more worried about his situation than he had ever dared to admit. It was so easy to push his worries aside when he had his friends to distract him and make him laugh. Now however, left on his own, the weight of the world suddenly seemed to heavy for him to bare. And it dawned on him that he had gotten to dependent. Now more than ever Aang knew that he would have to face his fears on his own. He loved his friends, and was glad they were with him, but in the end he would have to trust himself. If not only because he needed to be more independent, but also because if anything were to happen to Katara and Sokka, he might have to feel this way for the rest of his life.

Aang sunk down on his knees, burying his head in his hands, trying to escape the despair of his own mind when he heard something moving through the trees. His first feeling was excitement. Finally another person. But the feeling was shortly replaced with cautiousness, so instead of jumping out screaming, he tested the ground with a whisper of hello.

No reply, but the rattle of the bushes stopped, and he assumed that the someone -or something- had heard him. Aang listened for yet another second before he got up and stepped towards where the sounds had come from.

All of a sudden the fog lifted. Actually lifted wasn't the right way to describe it. Vanished was more like it. The air bender rubbed his eyes to get a clear vision of the now dark forest, and when he opened them he saw Katara.

* * *

Katara turned towards the light and stared at it. Before the fog lifted she had just caught a glimpse of the person approaching her, but that was all she needed. She knew his appearance so well that there was no way she could mistake aang for another person. Normally he would have ran over to him and greeted him, but there was something about that light. She just couldn't tear herself away from it. It seemed to hoover in mid air as it glided towards her through the trees. Katara felt herself get completely lost in the warm, yellow light. It seemed to fill her eyes, her ears, her entire world, everything. Suddenly there was nothing but light. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes again the water bender saw that she was standing under an enormous tree. The blinding light had disappeared, but seemed to linger on the tree's leaves. She looked up, and saw that It's glowing branches reached out over her head, sending a circle of light down around her. As Katara lowered her gaze someone stepped in to the light surrounding her. It was Zuko.

* * *

I hope I am still worthy of your reviews!

Thank you, and see you soon:)

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